France to begin stopping small boats in Channel after UK pressure
France has agreed to begin stopping migrant vessels in the Channel, following months of insistence from the United Kingdom.
This policy shift follows the Prime Minister wrote to the President asking him to support the initiative and stating there presently "have no effective deterrent" in the Channel.
French security forces have been authorized to intercept the small boats at sea, but exclusively prior to they've picked up their passengers, according to official statements.
French police have infrequently intervened to prevent the heavily loaded boats leaving the shoreline because it is considered too great a danger to both officers and individuals.
"It is crucial that we implement these tactics this period... We have no effective deterrent in the Channel waters."
Currently, a French naval police spokesperson says officers will begin taking action at sea, with the aim of protecting human life.
Notably, the spokesperson ruled out the use of nets to intercept boats, which had previously been suggested as a possible method to disable the propellers of the vessels.
This determination to intervene at all is a major step forward, coming after a brief change towards a stricter strategy this warmer season, which ceased when the previous government official departed from government.
That was highlighted in the summer month, in the run-up to a meeting between the UK leader and President, when authorities were observed walking into the sea to slash the hulls of a vessel.
Now French officials will again be allowed to intercept boats before they pick up asylum-seeking individuals from the beaches of France's north coast, however it's not clear how the small boats will be prevented.
Powerful gusts are currently postponing the start of intervention operations and the human trafficking gangs will be seeking methods to adapt to evade interception, as they have done so often in the previous instances.
UK immigration authorities and Downing Street have been contacted for comment.
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