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The Guardian
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Guardian
Leaked document shows boat slashing failed to stop migrants reaching UK
New concerns about the safety and viability of the flagship UK-French policy to intercept migrant dinghies at sea have emerged after a coastguard log leaked to the Guardian revealed a recent boat-slashing incident that failed to stop people reaching the UK. Despite the government's pledge to stop overcrowded dinghies crossing the Channel, the number of people arriving in the UK on small boats this year has increased by about 50% compared with the same period last year, with more than 21,000 crossing so far in 2025. The prime minister, Keir Starmer, and the French president, Emmanuel Macron, announced a 'one in, one out' deal at their recent meeting under which one person would be allowed to travel legally to the UK to claim asylum in exchange for another who arrived irregularly being returned to France. A second part of the deal is the interception of overcrowded dinghies up to 300 metres out to sea. The practice has been happening since at least 2022, according to an investigation last year by Lighthouse Reports, Le Monde, the Observer and Der Spiegel. The incident, revealed to the Guardian in a log known as a situation report or Sitrep from the Gris-Nez maritime rescue coordination centre, happened overnight on 9/10 July just hours before the Starmer-Macron announcement. The home secretary, Yvette Cooper, said in media interviews last week that France was reviewing tactics that might produce change based on the principle of intervening in French waters and that it would take forward the conclusions of that review. According to the log, the incident began at 11.21pm on the night of 9 July when the gendarmerie intervened in the departure of a dinghy from Cayeux-sur-Mer by puncturing it. Then they lost sight of the boat and at 11.22 the coastguard was asked to search with air and sea resources. The coastguard identified the dinghy in the early hours of 10 July. Despite having been slashed it picked up more passengers along the coast and arrived in the UK with 55 passengers the same day after it was rescued by an RNLI lifeboat. Home Office data shows that 10 boats arrived that day carrying 573 passengers. French coastguard sources said the incident was evidence that even when the gendarmarie had slashed a dinghy, if it remains afloat those on board would not be deterred from trying to reach the UK. It also highlights that the boat-slashing tactic requires extra sea rescue resources. In an open letter to its director published in French media on 25 June from the French coastguard union, Solidaires Douannes, concerns were raised about 'increasing institutional mistreatment of people in exile' as part of stop-the-boats policies. Separately it has emerged that the Brook House immigration removal centre near Gatwick Airport has been earmarked to detain people who arrive in small boats before their return to France. It is not known how the Home Office will select those for return, nor for how long they will be detained. Brook House was previously the subject of a public inquiry after damning undercover footage of mistreatment of detainees obtained by BBC's Panorama. Sign up to First Edition Our morning email breaks down the key stories of the day, telling you what's happening and why it matters after newsletter promotion The head of advocacy and public affairs at Care4Calais, Charlotte Khan, condemned the evidence contained in the coastguard log. 'We have become accustomed to police brutality being used against the refugee community in northern France over many years, but what we are witnessing just now is a rapid increase in this state-funded violence,' she said. 'Slashing boats in the water will put lives at risk, but as these disturbing logs show, it won't stop people making dangerous journeys to seek safety in the UK. Not when they have already fled war and persecution at home, and survived unimaginable dangers on their journey. 'The fact people are willing to risk their lives to seek safety in the UK in the first place should be enough evidence that so-called deterrents, regardless of how brutal they are, do not work. They only make people take ever more dangerous journeys. The only way to stop crossings is to offer safe routes to claim asylum.' Home Office sources said the French government had not yet announced the outcome of their review, but that officials hoped maritime operational teams would soon be able to intervene to stop boats in the water.
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Austria deports first Syrian since civil war, says more will follow
By Francois Murphy VIENNA (Reuters) -Austria's conservative-led government said on Thursday it had carried out its first deportation of a Syrian back to their home country in almost 15 years, making it the first European Union country to do so since the outbreak of Syria's civil war. The unnamed Syrian man had been convicted of an unspecified crime in November 2018, given a seven-year sentence and stripped of his refugee status, Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said, adding that he could not go into specifics. The Syrian man's legal adviser, Ruxandra Staicu, declined to specify the nature of his conviction but said he was 32. "A Syrian criminal was deported from Austria to Syria today, specifically to Damascus," Karner told reporters, pledging that more would follow soon. "I believe it is an extremely important signal that Austria is pursuing a tough, strict, forceful but fair asylum policy in that those who endanger others, criminals, will be removed from the country," he added. While EU member states including Austria and Germany have been keen to strike agreements with Syria's new Islamist-led government to enable deportations, rights groups have said it is too early to tell how the security situation will evolve and whether it is truly safe to deport people there. Rights groups are concerned that Austria's move will create a precedent, encouraging other EU member states to deport Syrians amid rising anti-migration sentiment across the bloc. "There is no reliable information on how the new regime will treat the returnee. In this volatile situation, it is irresponsible to conduct a deportation simply for PR reasons," said Lukas Gahleitner-Gertz, a lawyer and spokesperson for Asylum Coordination Austria, a platform of Austrian NGOs. TOUGH STANCE Austria's three-party ruling coalition has made a tough stance on immigration one of its hallmarks as it seeks to erode support for the far-right Freedom Party, which came first in September's parliamentary election with an even harder line on what has long been a prominent issue in national politics. Within days of President Bashar al-Assad's fall from power in December, Austria's previous government, led by the same conservative People's Party in power now, suspended the processing of Syrians' asylum claims and said it would work towards repatriating Syrians already in the country. Syrians are the top nationality among asylum seekers and refugees in Austria since 2015, Interior Ministry data show. Austrian law allows the authorities to revoke a refugee's status in some cases within five years of it being granted. "There will be, and will have to be, other deportations towards Syria. These are also being prepared," Karner said, also mentioning Afghanistan, another country that many refugees and asylum seekers in Austria come from.
Arab News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Arab News
Austria deports Syrian convict in EU first since Assad fall
VIENNA: Austria on Thursday deported a Syrian criminal convict back to Syria, becoming the first EU country to do so officially 'in recent years,' the interior ministry said. Austria has been pushing to be able to deport Syrians back since the ouster of Syria's leader Bashar Assad in December. 'The deportation carried out today is part of a strict and thus fair asylum policy,' Interior Minister Gerhard Karner said in a statement sent to AFP. The ministry said it was the first deportation of a Syrian directly to Syria in about 15 years, and Austria was the 'first European country to officially deport a Syrian criminal directly to Syria in recent years.' Karner traveled to Syria with his German counterpart Nancy Faeser in April to discuss deportations, among other topics. Karner, from the governing conservative People's Party (OeVP), on Thursday vowed to 'continue this chosen path with hard work and determination.' Austria was among European Union nations that suspended all Syrian asylum applications after Assad's ouster. It also stopped family reunifications. Some 100,000 Syrians live in Austria, one of the biggest diaspora in Europe. Austria's anti-migration far right topped national elections in September though they were unable to find partners to govern, leaving the runner-up conservatives to form a new government.
CNN
03-06-2025
- General
- CNN
Dutch government collapses as Wilders' far-right party leaves coalition
The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is leaving the Netherlands' government, toppling the governing coalition, its leader Geert Wilders said on Tuesday. Wilders, who is not himself part of government, presented the cabinet with an ultimatum last week to strengthen its asylum policy. 'No signature for our asylum plans,' he posted on X on Tuesday. 'PVV is leaving the coalition.' This is a developing story and will be updated.
CNN
03-06-2025
- General
- CNN
Dutch government collapses as Wilders' far-right party leaves coaliiton
The far-right Party for Freedom (PVV) is leaving the Netherlands' government, toppling the governing coalition, its leader Geert Wilders said on Tuesday. Wilders, who is not himself part of government, presented the cabinet with an ultimatum last week to strengthen its asylum policy. 'No signature for our asylum plans,' he posted on X on Tuesday. 'PVV is leaving the coalition.' This is a developing story and will be updated.
