French riot police funded by the United Kingdom used tear gas against asylum seekers attempting to board a boat from which three women were later found dead, according to a charity working near the scene. The incident occurred early Monday morning on Plage du Braek near Dunkirk, where footage and photographs show officers firing CS gas canisters toward groups of migrants around 4 a.m. The bodies of the three women were discovered roughly two hours later on a boat close to the same location.
The charity Utopia 56, which documented the event, reported that its staff witnessed French riot police from the Compagnies Républicaines de Sécurité (CRS) deploying tear gas to prevent approximately 80 people—including families—from accessing the beach and attempting to board the vessel in question. Utopia 56 coordinator Angèle Vettorello said the NGO counted at least 35 tear gas canisters in the area following the confrontation. It remains unclear whether the women found dead had been on the boat during the police engagement or were part of the crowd trying to reach it.
The CRS unit involved is partially funded by the UK as part of a £660 million agreement signed in May by UK Minister Shabana Mahmood. Under the deal, 50 CRS officers, specially trained in riot and crowd control tactics, have been deployed with UK public funding to assist in controlling migrant crossings. While paid for by the UK, the CRS maintains operational independence under French jurisdiction and is authorized to use water cannons, stun grenades, and batons during such operations.
In a separate incident on the same day, a fourth individual—a man—died when his dinghy encountered difficulties off the coast near Dannes. These events followed the busiest day for small boat crossings this year, with 752 migrants reaching the UK. More than 900 people crossed the English Channel in the prior week, taking advantage of relatively calm sea conditions, although the number remains lower than last year’s total of 24,389 migrants for the same period.
The CRS has faced previous accusations of brutality and racism. In 2018, nine officers were convicted of beating peaceful protesters during the gilets jaunes demonstrations. Additionally, leaked communications from two years ago revealed CRS officers sharing imagery related to sinking migrant boats.
Imran Hussain, director of external affairs at the Refugee Council, emphasized the desperation driving such hazardous crossings, stating that refugees make these journeys only when lacking safe pathways. “Fewer refugees would risk crossings if the government created safe pathways,” he said.
A UK government spokesperson expressed sorrow over the deaths, describing each loss as tragic and underscoring the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable individuals. The statement reaffirmed the government’s concern about the ongoing Channel crossings and associated risks.