France’s Interior Ministry has issued exclusion orders against ten members of the British group “Raise the Colours”, preventing them from entering or remaining in French territory. The activists—whose stated aim is to destroy small boats used by migrants along the Channel coast—were deemed a “serious threat to public order” after video footage showed them vandalising vessels and distributing anti-migrant leaflets in Calais and Dunkirk. Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez said the decrees were signed overnight on 13 January and notified to UK authorities through the Kent Police liaison office. (reuters.com)
While France regularly refuses individual travellers on security grounds, collective bans are rare. Lawyers note that the orders were issued under Articles L214-1 and L214-2 of the Code de l’Entrée et du Séjour des Étrangers, which allow fast-track expulsions if an individual’s behaviour is “manifestly violent, racist or xenophobic”. Companies moving staff through northern ports should expect reinforced ID checks this week as police hunt for additional members of the group. (reuters.com)
![France Bars 10 UK Far-Right Activists Under Public-Order Powers]()
For business travellers and mobility managers seeking to avoid last-minute snags at the border, VisaHQ can provide real-time guidance on French entry requirements, security alerts and visa options. Their dedicated France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) offers streamlined application tools and expert support, ensuring that invitation letters, supporting documents and any special authorisations are in order before departure.
Business-travel implications are two-fold. First, ferry operators fear tit-for-tat protests could block access roads to Calais, forcing rerouting via Cherbourg or the Eurotunnel. Second, UK nationals attending Paris trade fairs may face more detailed questioning about the purpose of their trip; mobility managers should advise travellers to carry invitation letters and hotel confirmations.
The episode underscores the politicisation of Channel crossings in the run-up to France’s regional elections. Any escalation—such as counter-demonstrations by migrant-rights groups—could trigger temporary closure of embarkation zones, adding unpredictability to supply chains that rely on driver-accompanied freight.
While France regularly refuses individual travellers on security grounds, collective bans are rare. Lawyers note that the orders were issued under Articles L214-1 and L214-2 of the Code de l’Entrée et du Séjour des Étrangers, which allow fast-track expulsions if an individual’s behaviour is “manifestly violent, racist or xenophobic”. Companies moving staff through northern ports should expect reinforced ID checks this week as police hunt for additional members of the group. (reuters.com)
For business travellers and mobility managers seeking to avoid last-minute snags at the border, VisaHQ can provide real-time guidance on French entry requirements, security alerts and visa options. Their dedicated France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) offers streamlined application tools and expert support, ensuring that invitation letters, supporting documents and any special authorisations are in order before departure.
Business-travel implications are two-fold. First, ferry operators fear tit-for-tat protests could block access roads to Calais, forcing rerouting via Cherbourg or the Eurotunnel. Second, UK nationals attending Paris trade fairs may face more detailed questioning about the purpose of their trip; mobility managers should advise travellers to carry invitation letters and hotel confirmations.
The episode underscores the politicisation of Channel crossings in the run-up to France’s regional elections. Any escalation—such as counter-demonstrations by migrant-rights groups—could trigger temporary closure of embarkation zones, adding unpredictability to supply chains that rely on driver-accompanied freight.
