A Welsh councillor has described receiving a torrent of abusive comments on social media after posting a video of a lifeboat training exercise, in the latest incident highlighting the hostility faced by the RNLI following anti-migrant protests across England.
Councillor Elizabeth Evans, who represents Aberaeron and Aberarth in Ceredigion, uploaded footage to Facebook showing New Quay's RNLI lifeboat departing the station. The post accumulated 30,000 views but triggered a deluge of hostile responses that Evans said left her appalled.
Evans described the nature of the comments as deeply disturbing.
"I couldn't believe it,"she said.
"And it wasn't a few. It took me a good half hour to get rid of those comments, just one after the other. With that thread of hatred."
The hostile reaction reflects broader tensions that have erupted following the RNLI's involvement in maritime rescues. According to reports from a national broadcaster, RNLI staff and volunteers have faced what the charity's leadership described as "unacceptable" online and physical abuse in the wake of anti-migrant demonstrations.
The most significant flashpoint occurred in Portsmouth earlier this month. A boat carrying approximately 140 migrants was brought ashore there, sparking the initial wave of protests. According to official reports, requests to land RNLI boats carrying 120 migrants were refused by both Portsmouth harbour and Southampton Port, after which the migrants were brought ashore at Eastney Marina instead.
The scale of the disruption has been significant. The RNLI confirmed that Portsmouth lifeboat station was taken out of service from 10 September following the incident, with the temporary pause implemented to protect crew safety and wellbeing.
What comments did Evans receive?
Evans reported that the comments on her post ranged from insulting to deeply troubling. She described some of the milder remarks as calling volunteers
"traitors"and
"taxis for migrants,"but said others contained suggestions of violence that she was reluctant to repeat publicly.
"I don't want to go on because I don't want to give those comments oxygen but they were really, really bad,"Evans said. After removing the comments, she faced criticism from some quarters for
"shutting down discussion."She rejected this characterisation, explaining:
"I wasn't shutting down discussion because there was no discussion available to be had. I was shutting down hatred."
Why is the RNLI facing this backlash?
The RNLI's core mission is to rescue people in danger at sea, regardless of circumstances. Peter Sparkes, chief executive of the RNLI, has sought to clarify the charity's role and address what he characterised as deliberate misinformation.
"Our mission, and our tasking is to rescue those women, children and men in danger of drowning."
Sparkes emphasised that
"Anyone rescued from a small boat by the RNLI is immediately handed over to the UK's immigration authorities."He added:
"Illegal immigration is a political issue; the RNLI exists to save lives at sea."
The RNLI has also reported that baseless rumours have circulated about its operations, including unfounded claims that the charity has housed asylum seekers or relocated them to undisclosed locations following rescues. These false narratives have fuelled much of the anger directed at volunteers and staff.
How widespread is the abuse?
The hostility extends beyond online comments. Police forces operating on the south coast have been mobilised to protect RNLI volunteers, staff and buildings from activists opposed to the rescues. The abuse has spread geographically as well: Poole Old Lifeboat Museum temporarily closed after protesters verbally assaulted volunteers there, demonstrating that the campaign against the RNLI has not been confined to Portsmouth.
What are the migration figures?
The backdrop to these protests is the ongoing debate over small boat crossings in the Channel. A total of 16,513 people arrived in the UK in small boats in the year to 1 September, representing a 43% decrease compared with the same period the previous year. UK net migration has meanwhile declined to its lowest level outside of the Covid pandemic since 2012, according to official statistics.
What are calls for action?
Evans has urged social media platforms and the UK government to take stronger measures against online abuse.
"They need to enforce through legislation that these companies have an absolute responsibility to make sure that they keep their users safe but also, that it's not used as a platform for hatred… We must not allow it to be normalised,"she said.
The UK government responded by stating that those who dedicate themselves to public service should be able to carry out their work without fear of harassment or abuse online. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy signalled that the government expects social media companies to be more proactive and rigorous in removing harmful content.
Meta, which operates Facebook and other platforms, issued a statement saying
"no one should be subjected to abuse of any kind"and confirmed that it removes harmful content when identified. However, the company did not specify what additional measures it might take in response to the recent incidents.
What happens next?
Portsmouth lifeboat station remains under review following its temporary closure. The RNLI has indicated that it will provide support to those affected by the unrest and will reassess crew safety conditions before resuming normal operations at the station.
