Preventing people rightfully seeking asylum in UK

Floating barriers, wave machines, nets …


2.10.2020: BBC: Asylum seekers: UK considered floating barriers in Channel

The government looked into putting floating barriers in the English Channel to stop asylum seekers crossing to the UK, a leaked document shows.

The Home Office approached the trade group Maritime UK over the possible use of temporary “marine fencing”, in a request for ideas sent over the summer.

This, it said, must be able to “prevent a slow-moving, heavily overloaded migrant boat from making progress”.

The government said it did not “comment on leaks”.

But Maritime UK told the BBC it was its “clear view” that building a wall in the Channel was “not legally possible” under the terms of the International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea.

[…]

Meanwhile, the Times has reported that other proposals drawn up by the Home Office include the use of a water cannon in the Channel to create waves to push back vessels.

and so on …


11.10.2020 BBC: Migrant crisis: Dinghies to UK could be ‘disabled using nets’

A plan to use nets to stop dinghies carrying migrants across the English Channel is being considered by the government, it has been reported. [Read more]