Politics

French Police Do Nothing While Migrants Launch Boats to Britain Right Under Their Noses

Published on July 17, 2025

If French police really wanted to stop the boats, they could. After spending three days on the ground in Calais following what’s been described as a “groundbreaking” migrant crackdown agreed between Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron, it quickly became clear there’s nothing groundbreaking about it — except maybe the number of dinghies that still managed to reach Britain.

Since Thursday, at least 1,375 people have made the crossing in small boats. I watched it all unfold with my own eyes. In three nights, not once did it look like French police were actively trying to prevent the launches.

On the first night, we were out at Gravelines beach around 3am. The sea was like glass and there wasn’t a breath of wind — perfect conditions for a crossing. We spotted a dinghy slowly moving down a canal towards the sea, passing directly in front of officers. It bobbed there for a good 45 minutes in shallow water, completely exposed. If there had been even one police boat stationed along that narrow stretch, it never would have made it, reported the Express.

But instead of stepping in, the officers stood about on the bank, casually scrolling through their phones, having a smoke, and watching the whole thing unfold. It wasn’t until a group of around 200 migrants appeared from the dunes that they finally acted, lobbing tear gas. But by then, it was far too late.

The point is, they never should’ve got that far. The boat never should’ve reached the launch point. The migrants shouldn’t have been able to gather at the dunes in such numbers unnoticed. But it’s happening — every single night.

The reality on the ground is that the desire to get to the UK is so strong that unless that incentive is removed, the crossings won’t stop. And that’s something Starmer’s been warned about again and again.

Every single migrant I spoke to talked about Britain like it was paradise. They called it “their future” and “the greatest country on earth”. And why? Because they believe it comes with hotel stays, football stadium tours, free travel — the lot.

Walking around towns in northern France, the presence of migrants is impossible to miss. Camps dotted across the region, people sleeping rough, hanging around local shops. It’s not just tough for them — the locals are clearly fed up too. One man told me he and his mates no longer feel safe at night, blaming rising crime on the migrant population.

And it’s not just petty theft. Only last week, there were two separate shootings in the camps, allegedly sparked by turf wars between rival smuggling gangs. That’s on top of the two migrants who were shot dead just a few weeks ago.

With violence escalating and the crossings continuing night after night, it’s no surprise that the French police aren’t putting up much of a fight. Truth is, they don’t want the migrants there either. So while politicians shake hands and talk about historic agreements, on the beaches of Calais, very little is actually changing.

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