French authorities to begin stopping small boats in English Channel after British demands
French officials have consented to start stopping small boats in the Channel, following an extended period of pressure from the UK.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President urging him to support the initiative and stating there presently "lack any effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've collected their passengers, according to official confirmation.
French police have infrequently intervened to stop the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is viewed as too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these methods this month... We have zero effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Now, a French maritime police spokesperson says officers will start intervening at sea, with the objective of protecting lives.
Significantly, the spokesperson excluded the use of entanglement devices to stop boats, which had earlier been reported as a potential technique to snarl the propellers of the boats.
This determination to take action at all is a major step forward, following a brief change towards a stricter strategy this summer, which dropped off when the former government official departed from government.
This was demonstrated in the summer month, in the run-up to a summit between the Prime Minister and President, when authorities were witnessed wading into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Currently French authorities will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the coastal areas of northern France, although it's uncertain how the small boats will be prevented.
Strong winds are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the people-smuggling networks will be looking for ways to adjust to avoid detection, as they have frequently done in the previous instances.
The Home Office and Downing Street have been approached for comment.
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