STATEMENT ON THE FRENCH-UK SUMMIT
July 2025
We, organisations and individuals standing in solidarity with migrants across the French-Belgian-British border, condemn unequivocally the continued violence and securitisation of borders, as proposed by Starmer and Macron.
As the French government risks bowing to pressure from the UK government to modify their maritime law to allow these police interventions, they have now requested a proposal from the Interministerial Committee of the Ocean, with the intention to authorise the dangerous and potentially deadly practice of police interventions in shallow waters, a practice otherwise forbidden under international law. Meanwhile, people continue to risk their lives crossing the Channel due to a lack of safe routes and adequate support from state services.
It is vital that politicians in both countries stop these performances of cruelty at the border that put people’s lives at risk. Instead they must provide safe routes for those moving countries and ensure respect of international maritime and human rights law.
In June, police were once again documented attacking people with teargas in an attempt to stop sea crossings, as well as wading into shallow waters to prevent boat departures. After intercepted crossings, people report being left in soaking wet clothes, abandoned by state services, and left to return to far-away living sites - which may have just been destroyed as part of the zero point de fixation policy.
For example, on 18th June, French police evicted an informal living space in northern France just two days after a weekend where three people were killed¹. This is just the latest example of the violence from the French authorities towards people on the move
Rather than spending millions of taxpayer money on teargas and barbed wire, the respective governments should respond otherwise. People have always moved and we always will. We call for freedom of movement now, for everyone.
Signed by :
L’Auberge des Migrants
CamCrag
Humans for Rights Network
Human Rights Observers
JCWI
Refugee Action
Migreurop
NANSEN, the Belgian Council for Refugees
Utopia56