Claims babies are tear-gassed by police in ‘catastrophic’ situation at UK-France border

WorldPolitics
26 Aug 2026 • 6:01 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

Claims babies are tear-gassed by police in ‘catastrophic’ situation at UK-France border

  • Police violence against people attempting to cross the English Channel has surged by 40 per cent this year, according to a coalition of six charities operating in northern France.
  • Organisations including Utopia 56 and Project Play reported that women and children, including infants as young as two months old, have been subjected to tear gas, beatings, and beach separations.
  • The Home Office defended its operations, highlighting that joint UK-French efforts prevented 185 boat departures involving 4,300 people between 27 April and 2 August.
  • Charities warned that aggressive police enforcement and a lack of safe asylum routes drive dangerous vessel overcrowding and significantly increase risks for vulnerable migrants.
  • The UK government confirmed a payment-by-results deal with France to increase beach patrol personnel by 40 per cent to further reduce small boat crossings.

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