Latest news with #Gendarmerie
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Daily Mail
Migrant clashes erupt in northern France with rocks launched at riot cops and fires blazing in the street as police try to stop launch of small boat bound for Britain
Clashes erupted between riot police and migrants early this morning in northern France, with projectiles thrown and fires lit in the street. Dramatic pictures and video show a group throwing rocks in the direction of the officers early on Friday, while fires blazed in the road near a park in Gravelines. The confrontation is said to have been triggered when police arrived to stop the launch of a small boat, likely bound for Britain, from a canal in the town. A number of men who faced off with police were wearing life jackets, according to reporters at the scene. The incident involving the group of migrants and Gendarmerie and Police Nationale officers, who were equipped with shields, helmets and tear gas. It lasted for about 20 minutes at around 5.30am and police reportedly used tear gas to disperse the group. Yesterday morning, migrants were filmed running into the water and boarding a dinghy at Gravelines beach. Pictures show people running out to meet the inflatable boat, which was dangerously overfull with dozens of young men clinging onto the sides in a desperate attempt to cross the channel. French police have employed tougher tactics in tackling the small boats crisis in recent weeks, according to Downing Street. Footage emerged earlier this month of officers slashing a dinghy packed with migrants and dragging the deflated vessel back to dry land, prompting anger from refugee charities. But footage which emerged yesterday showed the moment French coastguard members off the coast of Gravelines handed out lifejackets to migrants about to cross the Channel to Britain. Officials are seen passing life jackets to migrants in a dangerously full dinghy, rather than stopping it from heading out into the open sea. No police were seen on the beach as the group boarded the black inflatable boat. Witnesses saw one boat drop off several men at around 5am, who went into the sand dunes, before a second boat came close to shore, circling until the migrants appeared on the beach. The people, including a family with two children, put themselves into groups before trying to climb onto the boat. Around 40 people, believed to be about half of the full group, then left on the dinghy unhindered. More than 22,500 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far in 2025, a record for this point in the year. The same milestone was not hit until mid-to-late August in previous years, including 2022 - the year which went on to see a record annual total of 45,700 arrivals. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed a one in, one out migrant returns deal in a bid to crack down on the crossings and the people smuggling gangs who operate them. Leaks had suggested 50 migrants a week, around one in 17 arrivals, would be sent back to France initially. But that was seemingly not signed off by the leaders. Sir Keir met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday where he also praised Berlin's plans to strengthen laws to disrupt small boat crossings by the end of the year. The PM said the countries were sending a 'clear sign we mean business' as he and the Chancellor signed the first bilateral treaty since the Second World War. It includes moves to close a loophole that has meant people-smuggling gangs could use Germany as a hub to store equipment without danger of prosecution.
The Sun
6 days ago
- The Sun
Body of Brit woman in her 20s found behind church during family holiday in tourist hotspot
A BRIT woman on a family holiday has tragically been found dead behind a church in France. Cops investigating the case say the victim may have died after having a dispute with her partner on a night out. 1 The woman was reportedly staying with her family in a rented cottage near the port of Barfleur. Gendarmerie, French local police units, are now probing her death. is your go-to destination for the best celebrity news, real-life stories, jaw-dropping pictures and must-see video. Like us on Facebook at and follow us from our main Twitter account at @TheSun.
The Sun
6 days ago
- Politics
- The Sun
Moment migrant wearing life jacket joins mob of yobs lobbing rocks at French riot cops hours after ANOTHER boat set sail
SHOCKING footage shows the moment a migrant wearing a life jacket joined a mob hurling rocks at French riot police in the early hours of the morning. The clashes between migrants and cops were caught on camera while small fires are alight in the road near a park in Gravelines in France. 4 4 4 Video show shows a group throwing rocks from afar in the direction of the officers in the northern coastal town early on Friday morning. The scene between the men and the Gendarmerie and Police Nationale officers, who were equipped with shields, helmets and tear gas, lasted for about 20 minutes at around 5.30am. Rocks were seen being hurled as fires burned in the background. It came after migrants were filmed running into the water and boarding a dinghy at Gravelines beach on Thursday morning. The migrants were pictured trying to board the dinghy on the beach of Petit-Fort-Philippe in Gravelines, near Calais. Around 40 people, believed to be about half of the full group that scrambled over the sands, left the coast of France. French authorities in an inflatable boat out at sea approached the overcrowded dinghy, passing those on board lifejackets. No police were seen on the beach when the groups of people came out of the sand dunes and attempted to board the black inflatable boat. More than 22,500 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far in 2025, a record for this point in the year. It comes after a new migrant deal was agreed between the UK and France in a bid to tackle the small boats crisis. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed a one in, one out migrant returns deal in a bid to crack down on the crossings and the people smuggling gangs who operate them. But France will be able to choose which migrants to take back - prompting fears that the UK will be stuck with dangerous criminals. The details of each migrant selected for return will be given to France, allowing it to reject those with a criminal record or deemed a security risk. Both France and the UK will have a veto over which of the small boat migrants they take in. Britain will take into account if the migrants have a connection to the country and if they have lived here before. There may be an uptick in migrants stowing away in cars and lorries, or taking more dangerous routes into the country. The PM hailed the "groundbreaking" returns' scheme as "aggressive" - but admitted it was merely a pilot plan that would deal with just a fraction of the migrants trying to cross the Channel every day. Sir Keir also met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz yesterday where he also praised Berlin's plans to strengthen laws to disrupt small boat crossings by the end of the year.
South Wales Guardian
6 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
French riot police in early morning clash with migrants in coastal town
Pictures and footage captured by the PA news agency shows a group throwing rocks from afar in the direction of the officers early on Friday, while small fires are alight in the road near a park in Gravelines. The scene between the men – two seen by PA wearing life jackets – and the Gendarmerie and Police Nationale officers, who were equipped with shields, helmets and tear gas, lasted for about 20 minutes at around 5.30am. It came after migrants were filmed running into the water and boarding a dinghy at Gravelines beach on Thursday morning. More than 22,500 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far in 2025, a record for this point in the year. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed a one in, one out migrant returns deal in a bid to crack down on the crossings and the people smuggling gangs who operate them. Sir Keir met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday where he also praised Berlin's plans to strengthen laws to disrupt small boat crossings by the end of the year.
South Wales Argus
6 days ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
French riot police in early morning clash with migrants in coastal town
Pictures and footage captured by the PA news agency shows a group throwing rocks from afar in the direction of the officers early on Friday, while small fires are alight in the road near a park in Gravelines. The scene between the men – two seen by PA wearing life jackets – and the Gendarmerie and Police Nationale officers, who were equipped with shields, helmets and tear gas, lasted for about 20 minutes at around 5.30am. It came after migrants were filmed running into the water and boarding a dinghy at Gravelines beach on Thursday morning. More than 22,500 people have arrived in the UK after crossing the English Channel so far in 2025, a record for this point in the year. Last week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed a one in, one out migrant returns deal in a bid to crack down on the crossings and the people smuggling gangs who operate them. The clashes occurred early on Friday in Gravelines, northern France (Gareth Fuller/PA) Sir Keir met with German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Thursday where he also praised Berlin's plans to strengthen laws to disrupt small boat crossings by the end of the year.
