Portsmouth Protests

[NoisyBrickDog]

Why are they all shouting "Shame on You" towards the police - when it was the RNLI who brought them all to shore?

Surly they should be shouting this towards the lifeboat crews....?

I think the issue people have is that the lives weren’t at risk and the question is being asked if what would they do if a call came in from a fishing vessel at the same time they are assisting the illegal guys.

Also as a note they were rejected from docking at Southampton and Portsmouth harbour and that how they ended up on that particular beach, so the RNLI crew were out way longer than normal and were being asked to taxi these guys by the authorities., which is not in their remit at all.

I'm pretty sure those crew who were busy with their Sunday evenings would potentially be a bit peed off as well., they didn’t sign up for this.

Im not against the RNLI i really feel for them but i can also see why the locals (not far right) protests happened, the people out were men and women it wasn’t some organised rally it was a local reaction to the situation they saw happening on their beaches.

I think the issue people have is that the lives weren’t at risk

Their lives were at risk which is why the RNLI became involved.

they didn’t sign up for this.

This is what they signed up for.

https://rnli.org/about-us/our-work-in-the-channel

@iwishitwouldstartrainingand in they didn’t sign up to take people from port to port and stay out longer then required due to the status of the people they rescued. I know they signed up to save lives at sea I have family members in the RNLI.

I agree that volunteers should not have been left trying to find somewhere to land. I don't know how much the problem was caused by fear of men in masks turning up at the ports to cause trouble.

Their lives were definitely at risk, indeed the migrants themselves radioed that one of their two engines had failed.

The point is that the migrants refused assistance from the French vessel when they were only 13 miles off the French coast. Instead they opted to continue their journey in order to decide when, where and by whom they were rescued.

This increased the risk to both themselves and their rescuers.

The RNLI rescues people every day who have put their lives at risk.

Yes they do but when assistance is offered it is accepted. Those at risk shouldn't get to choose when, where and by whom they are rescued and where they get taken to shore, thereby putting themselves and their rescuers at greater risk.

Otherwise it's not a rescue service but a taxi service. I don't understand why so many posters can't see this distinction.

RNLI statemennt

This also happened

https://www.portsmouth.co.uk/news/politics/protestors-immigration-portsmouth-hotel-rnli-pakistan-8998229

I am not aware of them refusing rescue from the RNLI.

I don't understand why so many posters can't see this distinction.

Yes, you do seem to have trouble understanding the RNLI. It's difficult to know what more can be said to explain.

“Dumb-founded” indeed.

Must say I’m struggling to understand what the hell Cllr Madgewick thought he was doing. Embarrassing behaviour.

I think the pp means the French version. But no they’ll request rescue which will need to be listened to by the coast guard here.

Asking a cricket team to proof that they are not asylum seekers.

Will every group of men be asked this or just those who are not white?

Like the scout group in Wales or the charity rowers in Great Yarmouth.

After requesting assistance after one of their two engines failed, the French equivalent of the RNL offered assistance some 13 miles off the French coast. This offer was refused.

The role of the RNLI is to provide rescue services for those in trouble at sea, a role that they are very much respected for. The role of those requesting help is to accept that help. It's not reasonable for those being rescued to choose when, where, by whom and where they get taken to safety. To do so puts the rescuers in greater danger and turns a respected rescue service in to a "taxi service".

The service is definitely being exploited.

The role of those requesting help is to accept that help.

You are saying this. The RNLI is not saying this. The RNLI say (over and over again)

"When RNLI lifeboat crews are tasked by HM Coastguard to people in danger of drowning, they will answer the call. Any time of day or night, without judgement or preference."

And again, what do you think happens to the boat next if they do follow your suggestion? Everyone drowns? Random other vessels feel obliged to do the rescue? Does it not occur to you that people have thought through all of the possibilities and this is the least worst option?

Of asylum seekers were forced onto a boat during a problem rather than to prevent immediate drowning they’d stop calling for help until they reached British waters.

Same outcome but higher risk of drowning.

There have been some nasty bigoted opinions unleashed in the UK over the last few years, these Portsmouth yobs are just another facet of this, the hounding of RNLI crew is abhorrent, what's more so is that these gruesome individual's live amongst us...it's tragic

So let's get this right, you would prefer that the migrant dinghy requests help whilst in French waters that they then refuse when it arrives.

They then only accept assistance when they are in British waters in the middle of the English Channel and only from the RNLI vessel not the French vessel or any other nearby vessel and then only if they are taken to the UK. Putting the rescuers at greater risk, otherwise they will refuse assistance.

Choosing when, where, by whom you get rescued and where you get taken to sounds closer to a taxi service than an urgent maritime rescue.

I didn’t say that and you know it.

I said if they called for help and were physically forced onto a boat and returned to France that chances are word would spread back and future asylum seekers wouldn’t call for help until over the boarder.

This increases risk of problems and increases the risk to the RNLI rescuing them in greater danger.

But then you’ve spent the whole thread twisting very clear narrative because you don’t agree with it.

Disagree - absolutely.

Pretending to be thick - not a good look!

My DH who is a volunteer with the RNLI is totally disgusted with what's been happening today, we're nowhere near Portsmouth yet he's had abuse shouted at him from strangers out and about that he didn't recognise and we've just had stones thrown at our window
All this for wanting to help others
Disgusted, horrified and appalled at some of the human race today. Shame on them

I am so sorry, that is terrifying.

@1dayatatime - what are you trying to achieve on this thread?
You are constantly referring to the RNLI as a 'taxi service' but you are apparently failing to recognise that the RNLI will help anyone who needs their help and they won't give a stuff about what has happened prior to their engagement.
If you wish to change the way the RNLI operates I'd suggest you get involved with the organistion, go out on their boats and once you really understand what they are about you might reconsider. Link for you enclosed
https://rnli.org/support-us/volunteer

As a little thought experiment for you - if any of the laughably labelled 'brave boys' in Portsmouth had got into trouble in the water on Sunday, the RNLI would have helped them despite the fact that they have tried their hardest to undermine what the RNLI does. Why do you think that might be?

No reasonable person has anything but admiration for the RNLI.

Where they have to be careful is not to be seen as being political - the moment they do that, they’re in trouble.

It’s a difficult line for them to tread.

I’m so sorry.

That’s disgusting.

Thank him for all he does.

and thankyou for the sleepless nights you’ll have when he’s out in all weathers saving lives.

My dad was a coastguard so I know what it’s like to dig and wait for them to return safely.