It is not known who was responsible for the graffiti. But one thing is clear: it comes after a period of growing activity on French soil by far-right British activists, some of whom have harassed and intimidated asylum seekers in the places where they sleep, or boasted of slashing dinghies to prevent crossings. And to many of those who work to support asylum seekers in northern France, that activity has been hothoused by the rightward shift of mainstream British politics.
Is this 'rightward shift' in the room with us?
“The reason why they’re coming out and doing this stuff is because they’re emboldened,” said Lachlan Macrae, of the group Calais Food Collective. He said his group had found water containers stabbed, or with soap poured in to render the water undrinkable.
Good. Though as a true British born person, I've never thought the water in France drinkable anyway - who goes there to drink anything other than the wine, anyway?
French groups supporting asylum seekers also say that water tanks, which they provide for asylum seekers who have difficulty accessing other sources of water, are being vandalised and damaged, making them unusable.
Brilliant idea! Why are these groups supporting illegals anyway? I mean, I can see the point in the French doing it, so they can shift their problems across la Manche to us, but the British 'charities'?
In November last year, the phenomenon kicked up a gear. Raise the Colours, the Birmingham-based anti-migrant group that has draped union jack and England flags on lamp-posts and street furniture across Britain, launched Operation Overlord, a series of trips to France to “stop the boats” which Daniel Thomas, a key figure in the organisation at the time, said was “for our grandfathers, for our families and above all for our children”.
They aren't wrong, and if the French and British governments were doing the job of securing borders we expect them to do, they woulldn't have to.
On Wednesday last week, France’s interior ministry issued a statement banning 10 unnamed far-right activists associated with Raise the Colours for “having carried out actions on French soil”.
It's nice to see someone try it!
So far in 2026, 520 people have crossed the Channel in nine boats, a significant number despite poor weather conditions that is likely to rise as the weather improves.
Never have I wished for an everlasting winter more...
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