A charity has alleged that French riot police, funded by UK taxpayers, used teargas on asylum seekers trying to board a small boat near Dunkirk, hours before three women were found dead in a boat on the same beach.
Key facts
- A charity claims French CRS riot police used teargas to stop people boarding a small boat near Dunkirk.
- Footage and photographs seen by the Guardian show CS gas canisters fired towards groups on Plage du Braek at 4am on Thursday.
- Three women were found dead in a boat near the same beach at 6am.
- The CRS officers involved are funded by UK taxpayers, according to the charity.
- Four asylum seekers died trying to cross the Channel that day.
French riot police funded by UK taxpayers used teargas on asylum seekers in a bid to stop them from boarding a boat in which three women were later found dead, a charity has claimed, according to the Guardian.
Footage and photographs seen by the Guardian show CS gas canisters being fired towards groups of people on Plage du Braek near Dunkirk at 4am on Thursday.
At 6am, two hours after the teargas was reportedly deployed, three women were found dead in a boat near the same beach.
The charity’s claim centres on the actions of CRS officers, France’s riot police, whose deployment the charity says is funded by UK taxpayers as part of efforts to prevent Channel crossings.
The incident came on a day the Guardian reports four asylum seekers died attempting to cross the Channel, drawing renewed attention to the dangers faced by people making the journey in small boats.
The allegations, based on footage and photographs reviewed by the Guardian, raise questions about the tactics used at the French coast to deter crossings and the role of UK funding in those operations.
Why it matters
The claim links UK-funded policing tactics to a scene where three women later died, sharpening scrutiny of how Channel crossings are deterred. It highlights the human risks of small-boat crossings and the accountability questions surrounding cross-border enforcement.
Frequently asked questions
What did the charity claim happened?
The charity claimed that French riot police, funded by UK taxpayers, used teargas on asylum seekers trying to board a small boat near Dunkirk.
When and where did the deaths occur?
According to the Guardian, three women were found dead in a boat near Plage du Braek beach near Dunkirk at 6am on Thursday, about two hours after teargas was reportedly fired at 4am.
How many people died crossing the Channel that day?
The Guardian reports four asylum seekers died trying to cross the Channel that day.