France Deploys Hundreds of Riot Police to Beaches Amid Efforts to Halt Illegal Migrant Crossings to the UK

Photo: Jean-Luc Battini, Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 | Jihad Watch

Two newly established specialist units have been deployed along the French coastline to combat illegal migration and disrupt human smuggling networks attempting to transport migrants to the United Kingdom.

Under the France-UK agreement, a dedicated riot control unit is now operating in northern France to prevent small boat crossings and locate illegal migrants. The deployment also includes the Compagnie de Marche, strengthening efforts to curb cross-Channel migration.

The expanded measures reflect ongoing international cooperation to address the migrant crisis. In Germany, authorities seized dozens of boats and engines, preventing more than 2,000 people from attempting to reach British shores.

These operations were carried out through a coordinated effort involving the UK's National Crime Agency, the German Federal Police, and the French National Police’s anti-smuggling units.

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Working closely with our nearest partners is the only way to achieve meaningful progress in tackling the shared challenge of illegal migration.

“These specialist units are one part of the landmark agreement between our countries, taking our cooperation to a new level.

“Operations such as these helped French authorities stop nearly half of all attempted crossings last month, and we are strengthening these efforts further to continue reducing crossings.”

Compagnie de Marche officers will support existing surveillance measures, including drones, aircraft, and camera systems, to disrupt launch attempts, confiscate equipment, and intercept migrants before they reach the English Channel en route to the UK.

(This Article was originally published by Jihad Watch)