Migrants faced tear gas dispersal by French authorities, amidst the admission by 10 Downing Street that the crisis in the Channel is worsening.
Fresh Take:
Tensions boiled over at the French coast on Tuesday morning as police responded to a swarm of migrants attempting to reach the UK through the English Channel with teargas. The chaotic scene unfolded just hours after a meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron to discuss this escalating situation that Number 10 described as "worsening."
Officers intervened after a sizable gathering of migrants formed at Gravelines beach, near Calais, and rushed towards a solitary dinghy in the waters. Despite the teargas, some persistent migrants waded into the water, determined to board the vessel for the perilous Channel crossing.
Authorities stood by as the gas- unaffected migrants entered the water, eventually managing to board the dinghy and set off across the Channel. The incident came just hours after a summit between Starmer and Macron to address the pressing issue of illegal immigration.
Protests ensued as more than 16,300 people already made the Channel crossing in small boats in 2025 – a staggering 43% increase compared to the same period in 2024.
Migrants confronted with teargas had to remain waist-deep in water for almost an hour before being able to access the dinghy. An elderly man on crutches required assistance to be pulled out of the water, with others raising their arms in surrender under a cloud of tear gas released by the French Police Nationale.
A frantic cry of "baby, baby" echoed as a man carrying a child dashed out of the smog, indicating the traumatic impact on innocent families caught in this catastrophic journey.
An Afghani migrant, seeking anonymity, expressed his desire for a better life in the UK as he lamented that the situation in his country was "awful."
Officially, more than 50 migrants boarded the dinghy, with others left behind to watch it sail away. Despite the vessel departing, witnesses observed it being towed back to shore about an hour and a half later. The authorities present on the beach declined to clarify whether tear gas usage would become a routine tactic in such circumstances.
Both the prime minister and Macron will hold a summit in July focused on tackling this issue, No 10 confirmed in a statement following their meeting on the sidelines of the G7 summit in Canada.
The two leaders agreed that migration should be a priority given the intensifying situation in the English Channel and that they should work together closely with other partners to innovatively solve the issue, as outlined in an official readout of the meeting.
The UK government insists there are "no quick fixes," but action is already being taken to stop these “people-smuggling” networks that have plagued the region for years. In a statement by a No 10 spokesman, the government reaffirmed their collaboration with the French authorities to curb illegal immigration.
Although the migrant crisis in the English Channel has not been easily resolved, the UK government continues to enact tougher enforcement measures, strengthen international cooperation, and pursue policy changes to reduce illegal crossings. However, the resilience and adaptability of smuggling networks, coupled with the complex nature of international migration, poses significant hurdles to lasting solutions.
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Sources:
- https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-politics-61310993
- https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/27/record-16000-migrants-cross-channel-in-2021-surpassing-total-for-2020-by-october
- https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2022/mar/23/channel-migrants-storm-freeport-refugee-camp-police-use-tear-gas-after-500-gather
- https://www.reuters.com/world/uk/record-migrants-cross-channel-day-number-reaches-nearly-1200-2022-06-01/
- Crossings: The numbers behind Britain's border crisis - BBC
- Channel migrants: What you need to know about the Calais Jungle
- What is the small boats crisis? Answering key questions on Channel migrants - BBC
- The chaotic scenes at Gravelines beach, where migrants hurled themselves into the English Channel amidst teargas, underscore the complex intersection of war, politics, and crime-and-justice, as France and the UK grapple with the escalating problem of illegal immigration.
- As the number of migrant crossings through the English Channel reaches a record-breaking 16,300 in 2025, the tense relationship between war-torn countries, politics, and the justice system remains central to the ongoing crisis, with both the UK and French governments and international partners working diligently to address the issue.
