On the evening of 29 October 2026, French police arrested five British nationals in the town of Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk (Nord department, France). According to the Nord prefecture, the detainees belong to the far-right milieu.
The men were travelling in a minibus they had themselves named “The Battle Bus.” From the vehicle they were live-streaming on social media, filming and broadcasting footage intended to intimidate migrants trying to reach the United Kingdom across the Channel. When they were stopped, officers found four 75 ml tear-gas canisters in their possession.
All five were placed in police custody on the orders of the Dunkirk prosecutor’s office. They are accused of participating in a group formed with a view to preparing violence against persons and of unlawfully transporting category D weapons. After their custody ends, they are expected to be placed in an administrative detention centre pending their expulsion from French territory. The prefecture stated that the state does not tolerate such acts that encourage hatred and violence.
This is not the first such incident. In January 2026, two Britons suspected of taking part in a banned anti-migrant action near Calais were arrested and deported. At the same time, ten other British far-right activists were banned from French territory over allegations of violent actions against migrants on the northern coast.
Grande-Synthe and the Dunkirk area remain key points on the migrant route to the United Kingdom. Attempts to cross the Channel in small boats are regularly recorded there.
