Across the English Channel, the U.K.'s white cliffs beckon. On fine days, men and women with children in their arms and determination in their eyes can see the shoreline of what they believe will be a promised land as they attempt the perilous crossing clandestinely, ditching belongings to squeeze aboard flimsy inflatable boats that set to sea from northern France.
In a flash, on one recent crossing attempt, French police swooped in with knives, wading into the water and slashing the boat’s thin rubber — literally deflating the migrants’ hopes and dreams.
Some of the men put up dispirited resistance, trying to position themselves — in vain — between the boat and the officers’ blades. One splashed water at them, another hurled a shoe. Cries of “No! No!” rang out. A woman wailed.
As always, ACAB.
As always, downvoting brainless ACAB.
It’s not quite that easy.
Many migrants have drowned en route to the UK, so if the boats are caught before they leave the shore it’s not as if the police are condemning the migrants to death. Some police forces have denied migrant boats or even ruined them on the Mediterranean, causing more direct deaths. Or died in migrant camps just outside the borders of the EU.
What is at fault here is the geopolitical perspective. People are fleeing extreme poverty, injustice, war, genocide etc etc. The border agreements of the EU mean that they get sent back to whatever country they were first “discovered” in, which in its turn sends them back further. Many have lost everything coming here, even loved ones, children perished en route. Many were maybe aiming for Germany, France, Denmark or Sweden. But as they’ve been detected in other countries in the EU first, they will be sent back to those first. So as a last ditch attempt, they aim for the UK. And if they didn’t drown in the Mediterranean, there is a huge risk that they might drown in the colder waters of the Channel instead.
This being said, slashing their last (perceived) hope or reaching safety is cruel. But there are few things that are NOT cruel towards most migrants, sadly.