Five British Men Deported From France After Dunkirk Migrant Confrontation
The group, who traveled in a modified van, were fined and banned from northern France for six months following an arrest over tear gas and intimidation tactics.
By Sofia Ramirez ·
Five British men arrived back in the United Kingdom on Sunday after being detained and deported from France. The group had been in the port city of Dunkirk over the weekend, where they confronted a group of migrants waiting to cross the English Channel. French authorities reported that the men were arrested with tear gas bombs and were subsequently banned from northern France for six months. Each man was ordered to pay 500 euros to a migrant aid organization.
The incident began when the group, traveling in a van they called the Battle Bus, approached a dozen migrants near the port. The vehicle had a roll cage installed to reinforce the windows. Footage captured one member of the group, identified as Anthony Barnes, filming himself while shouting at the migrants. In the video, Barnes stated, “I’ll fold you clean in half, geez. And kick you in that river. Yeh put that life jacket on cos you will need it.” As Barnes spoke, the migrants stood up, and one threw a stone at him before he ran away and was taken into custody by French police.
The group was held in a detention center over the weekend. On the ferry back to England, one of the men described the journey as “like Mad Max,” saying it was “belting.” The men later posted on the social media platform X, calling the experience “exhausting, frightening and overwhelming” because they had little time to process the events. They were released from police custody after being accused of preparing violence against persons and transporting category D weapons without legitimate reason.
Regional prosecutors stated that the men were broadcasting live on social media, sharing images intended to illustrate acts of intimidation. The prefecture, which oversees the region, issued a statement saying the state does not tolerate actions conducive to hatred and violence from anyone. The group had been accused of forming a group with the view to preparing violence against people.
The confrontation occurred amid a surge in Channel crossings. Nearly 1,000 migrants crossed from France to the UK in the two days prior to the arrest. This followed a three-week pause in arrivals. On Friday, 671 people in nine boats made the journey to Britain. Footage from that day showed a man wielding a knife in waist-deep water, threatening migrants before boarding a dinghy. He was seen dropping the knife into the sea before getting onto a boat bound for the UK. Several children were among the group brought ashore in Dover, Kent, as better weather provided calmer crossing conditions.
The five men were deported on Sunday, ending their stay in France. The local authorities in Dunkirk confirmed the fines and the six-month ban from the northern region. The group’s van, with its distinctive roll cage, was part of their arrival and departure from the port area. The incident added to the volume of traffic at the port, where rescue boats hovered nearby during the crossings.
