Anti-migration protests threaten lifeboat crews, warns charity watchdog

Dame Julia Unwin said charities should, however, have the 'courage to tolerate vigorous debate'

Anti-migration protests threaten lifeboat crews, warns charity watchdog

TL;DR

  • The Charity Commission chief, Dame Julia Unwin, has warned that anti-migration protests involve "thuggery" and "intimidation" targeting RNLI crews.
  • RNLI stations in Portsmouth temporarily closed after volunteers were targeted online following a migrant rescue.
  • Dame Julia urged resistance against the "normalisation of violence" in public discourse and defended the RNLI's duty to rescue people at sea.
  • The Digital Secretary, Lisa Nandy, plans to strengthen laws against doxxing in response to concerns raised by the RNLI chief executive.
  • Small boat callouts constitute a small percentage of the RNLI's annual operations.