Protesters warned over RNLI disruption risk

Protesters planning action that could disrupt the RNLI's work have been told to "carefully consider the implications" by Sussex Police.

In Dover on Saturday, "stop the boat" protesters blocked the town's port, while in Portsmouth on Sunday, demonstrators blocked roads in an attempt to stop coaches carrying migrants that had arrived by boat.

Following this, some crew members from the incident in Portsmouth had their photos and names shared on social media in posts accusing them of treason.

Ch Insp Adam McCaig said: "We would advise anyone considering carrying out any action that could hinder the RNLI's vital lifesaving work to carefully consider the implications."

He added: "The RNLI exists to save lives at sea, and any disruption to that mission could have serious consequences for those in need of urgent assistance."

Sussex Police said it was aware of "offensive and threatening commentary" towards RNLI volunteers on social media and was supporting the charity in regards to the safety of its members.

Investigations remain ongoing to establish if there are any criminal offences in the social media content, the force added.

The RNLI's chief executive Peter Sparkes previously said staff had faced "unacceptable" online and physical abuse since the anti-migrant protests.

It has led to the charity reviewing its security procedures to ensure members' safety and Sparkes is encouraging people to take steps to ensure they feel safe in their roles.

He said action volunteers could take included "choosing not to wear RNLI branded clothing when representing our charity in public places", "removing yourself from a conversation with a member of public if you feel uncomfortable" and to "go home or close for the day if you need to".

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