RNLI crew's children face bullying, council told

RNLI crew members' children have faced bullying at school, Portsmouth councillors have been told during a debate.

The charity's volunteers have been targeted by anti-migrant protesters for their role in rescuing small boat migrants in the English Channel.

During a debate held to discuss giving the RNLI the Freedom of the City, Portsmouth city councillors were read an email from the lifeboat station.

It described abuse crew members had received in the city, including being confronted in pubs, yacht clubs and shops, and two said their children had been bullied at school.

The letter was read out by former leader of the council Gerald Vernon-Jackson, who said: "For 200 years the RNLI has existed for one purpose, to save lives at sea."

He told councillors he was "deeply concerned about the abuse, intimidation and threats" and the council should "express its unequivocal support" for the charity.

The email detailed how crew members had their names published online, and contained reports of "spotters around the station", including "suspicious vehicles" parking nearby, and "numerous" messages left for volunteers.

It continued: "Perhaps the worst is the personal abuse we've had in the city.

"The children of two of my crew have been bullied in school because their dad is in the RNLI.

"Some crews have been called traitors and cowards to their face."

The email concluded that, "thankfully", the station had received many supportive messages of "goodwill" and the motion, if passed, would provide a "huge moral boost".

Councillors voted to support the motion, despite opposition from Reform UK.

Emily Strudwick, leader of the Reform UK group, sought to amend the motion.

She said: "As a group we would like to support the motion", but wanted to remove "political commentary".

"Nobody should face threats or aggression while carrying out their duties," she said.

"However, if residents feel that the RNLI is being used as a taxi service, they are entitled to express that view.

"Responsibility for the current situation lies with the government, not the RNLI."

Simon Bosher, leader of the Conservative group, said the motion repeated an earlier debate on small boat crossings.

He said: "What's happened here is that we are using the RNLI to politicise a debate and using the freedom of the city to politicise that."

On 6 September, 140 migrants were brought ashore by the RNLI at Eastney in Portsmouth after attempting to cross from Normandy, sparking anti-migrant protests in the city.

On Sunday 4 October, 149 migrants were picked up in a mid-Channel rescue operation by the RNLI alongside a French vessel.

They were brought to Fort Blockhouse, a former military site at the southern tip of the Gosport peninsula, before being taken by coach to a processing centre in Kent.

Portsmouth's lifeboat station was temporarily taken out of service following anti-migrant protests.

The protests led the RNLI to also review its security procedures. As part of this, volunteers were told to consider not wearing RNLI-branded clothing in some circumstances while representing the charity.