French prosecutors confirmed on Monday, 26 January 2026, that two British nationals were taken into custody near Calais after attempting to livestream a banned anti-migrant protest dubbed “Operation Overlord.” The Pas-de-Calais prefecture had issued an emergency order forbidding any assembly by the group Raise the Colours from 23–26 January, citing the risk of public disorder and previous harassment of aid workers.
The arrested men—aged 35 and 50—now face charges of inciting hatred and participating in an organised group with intent to commit violence. Under France’s public-order code, they could be deported and barred from re-entry for up to three years. Authorities also warned that any further arrivals by affiliated activists would trigger immediate expulsion under accelerated border-control procedures.
The incident illustrates how French officials increasingly use prefectural powers to manage cross-border activism that threatens migrant safety or disrupts port operations. For corporate mobility programmes that rely on smooth Calais-Dover traffic, the key takeaway is that security perimeters around the ferry terminal and Eurotunnel entrance may tighten at short notice whenever similar protests are announced on social media.
![French Police Arrest British Far-Right Activists Near Calais After Prefectural Ban]()
At a practical level, having the correct travel paperwork can mitigate much of the friction created by these spur-of-the-moment security measures. VisaHQ’s France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) allows individuals and corporate mobility managers to obtain or renew Schengen visas online, track application status in real time and receive expert support—services that prove invaluable when route adjustments, police checks or sudden schedule changes demand flawless documentation.
UK employers sending drivers or expats through the region should build extra time into itineraries, keep vehicle documentation handy for spot checks and ensure travellers have 24/7 emergency contacts. Travel-risk teams should also monitor French prefecture bulletins, which are often published only in French but provide the earliest warning of movement restrictions.
Strategically, the arrests signal Paris’s determination to prevent far-right demonstrations from spilling over into violence ahead of the busy Easter travel season. The move may help reassure shipping lines and coach operators that local authorities will prioritise uninterrupted operations on Europe’s busiest freight corridor.
The arrested men—aged 35 and 50—now face charges of inciting hatred and participating in an organised group with intent to commit violence. Under France’s public-order code, they could be deported and barred from re-entry for up to three years. Authorities also warned that any further arrivals by affiliated activists would trigger immediate expulsion under accelerated border-control procedures.
The incident illustrates how French officials increasingly use prefectural powers to manage cross-border activism that threatens migrant safety or disrupts port operations. For corporate mobility programmes that rely on smooth Calais-Dover traffic, the key takeaway is that security perimeters around the ferry terminal and Eurotunnel entrance may tighten at short notice whenever similar protests are announced on social media.
At a practical level, having the correct travel paperwork can mitigate much of the friction created by these spur-of-the-moment security measures. VisaHQ’s France portal (https://www.visahq.com/france/) allows individuals and corporate mobility managers to obtain or renew Schengen visas online, track application status in real time and receive expert support—services that prove invaluable when route adjustments, police checks or sudden schedule changes demand flawless documentation.
UK employers sending drivers or expats through the region should build extra time into itineraries, keep vehicle documentation handy for spot checks and ensure travellers have 24/7 emergency contacts. Travel-risk teams should also monitor French prefecture bulletins, which are often published only in French but provide the earliest warning of movement restrictions.
Strategically, the arrests signal Paris’s determination to prevent far-right demonstrations from spilling over into violence ahead of the busy Easter travel season. The move may help reassure shipping lines and coach operators that local authorities will prioritise uninterrupted operations on Europe’s busiest freight corridor.
