U.K. issues online ads to deter illegal Channel crossings
An inflatable dinghy carrying around 65 migrants crosses the Channel to England on March 06.
The U.K. on Monday launched a new global social media campaign, aimed at Vietnam in particular, to deter migrants from trying to cross the Channel from northern France on small boats.
It comes as statistics showed the number of arrivals using the hazardous and highly contentious route up by 15% so far this year compared to the same period in 2023. An increasing proportion of “small boat” arrivals hail from Vietnam, with the southeast Asian nation among the top 10 nationalities for migrants crossing the Channel, according to the U.K. Interior Ministry.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has made “stopping the boats” one of his top priorities, and claimed to be succeeding when they fell by around a third last year. A reversal on that could prove politically perilous for the Conservative leader ahead of a general election expected later this year.
The new online adverts, which feature real testimonies from those who have previously made the dangerous journeys, are being posted on Facebook and YouTube to target Vietnamese migrants.
“The social media posts emphasise the consequences of travelling to the U.K. illegally, dangers people can expect to face, and set out the risks of being indebted to and exploited by the people smuggling gangs,” the Interior Ministry said.
They also warn prospective migrants of “the reality” of living in Britain “with no right to be in the U.K. and no access to public services or funding”. It follows a similar campaign last year targeting migrants from Albania, which contributed to a 90% reduction in arrivals from the Balkan country, the ministry said.