Union flags and the flag of St. George fly on lamp posts in London on January 2. An online campaign called Operation Raise the Colours has been calling for the public display of the St. George’s Cross and the Union Jack. Photo by Neil Hall/EPA
France on Wednesday announced a ban on 10 British anti-migrant activists who have traveled onto French soil.
“Our rule of law is non-negotiable. Violent and hate-inciting tactics have no place in our territory,” French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez said on X.
Though the people and their actions in France have not been named, Nunez said they are members of the Raise the Colours movement.
The organization said the ban was “absolutely disgraceful.”
“At the time of issuing this statement, no formal notification has been received by Raise the Colours regarding any administrative measures. We understand that the statements refer to administrative decisions concerning specific individuals, rather than the organization as a whole,” it said in a statement.
“Raise the Colours has always maintained that its activities must remain peaceful and within the law. The organisation does not support violence or any unlawful activity. Our approach is founded on responsibility, restraint and compliance with legal frameworks.
Georgie Laming, director of campaigns at Hope Not Hate, said she welcomed the news.
“The Raise the Colours team have been harassing both migrants and charity workers in northern France for months,” The Guardian reported.
The group describes itself as a “grassroots movement for unity and patriotism” that is in a British flag-raising campaign. It said it documents events in northern France around “illegal Channel crossings.”
The Home Office has said that 41,472 migrants crossed the English Channel in 2025, a 13% rise from 2024. It is the highest number since 2022, when almost 46,000 migrants crossed into Britain, the BBC reported.
“With a recent recruitment drive intended to bring more people from the U.K. to France, there couldn’t be a more apt time to stop this harassment campaign from escalating even further,” Laming said.
“Hope Not Hate have been monitoring and reporting on the movements of Raise the Colours throughout 2025 and we are pleased to see our work pay off.”
