RNLI donation surge follows far-right targeting over Channel rescues
The lifeboat charity says donations have risen significantly after staff and volunteers faced abuse and intimidation over its role in rescuing asylum seekers.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has reported a significant increase in donations after far-right protesters targeted the charity over its rescue work involving people crossing the Channel. The RNLI said it had welcomed new supporters this week, while some existing backers had withdrawn their support.
Staff and volunteers have faced online abuse and physical intimidation, prompting the charity to increase security measures. Police have provided protection or investigated alleged threats around RNLI sites in Dorset, Hampshire and Sussex.
The reported incidents followed a Sunday rescue in which RNLI lifeboats brought 120 asylum seekers to Eastney in Langstone Harbour after they had been intercepted off the Isle of Wight. The BBC reported that Poole Old Lifeboat Museum closed after volunteers were verbally assaulted by protesters.
The RNLI has said it launches only when requested by the coastguard, regardless of people’s nationality. It has advised volunteers to consider avoiding branded clothing where they feel at risk, and to close shops or lifeboat stations if necessary for their safety.
The charity said small-boat rescues in the Channel represented a small share of its work. RNLI lifeboats launched 9,058 times in 2025, including 109 call-outs involving small boats in the Channel. It has also rejected claims that it houses asylum seekers or moves migrants to secret locations, describing those claims as baseless.
