Hastings RNLI lifeboat crew 'blocked from going out to sea' by people angry at them rescuing refugee

[Emrys]

2. Twitter video of the man who initially harassed the lifeboat crew:

Last edited Tue Nov 30, 2021, 12:14 PM - Edit history (1)

Link to tweet

PoliticsJOE
@PoliticsJOE_UK
NEW: A man blocked a lifeboat being launched in Hastings, shouting that he had stopped his donations to the RNLI because they rescue refugees.

[Twitter video]

There have been contradictory versions of what happened, but he seems to have been a lorry driver, not a fisherman, though an individual fishing boat's crew may have been involved, according to one eyewitness report:

Link to tweet

Nick Limpkin 💙
@KavyMan1984
This was the Hastings lifeboat on Saturday 20/11/2021 this charming fisherman was yelling at the lifeboat crew about how he cancelled his donations over them rescuing refugees. I am pretty sure they were also deliberately trying to stop them from launching. I have the video @RNLI

Nick Limpkin 💙
@KavyMan1984
The fishing boat in question...

Link to tweet

Nick Limpkin 💙
@KavyMan1984
Others on the boat seemed to deliberately empty fish waste right in the path of the lifeboat so seagulls swarmed down, this guy was hassling the crew trying to launch. I have around 10 minutes of video.

Others in Hastings have been much more humane:

On Thursday evening, an estimated 250 people gathered on the Stade in Hastings Old Town to hold a moving vigil for the 27 people who died when their boat capsized.

Last week, businesses and local people were thanked for helping 93 people who arrived on Hastings beach after being rescued by lifeboats in the Channel.

One group - 35 men and five teenage boys - spent two days at sea in a small dinghy before they were picked up by Hastings RNLI inshore lifeboat on November 16. RNLI crew helped them on to the shore near the harbour arm in Hastings Old Town. They were met by police stationed on the beach and later handed over to Border Force officials. Volunteers from Hastings Supports Refugees handed out hot drinks, food, warm clothing and blankets to the group - from Iran, Iraq, Yemen, Palestine and various African countries.

On November 11, local businesses helped 53 people who arrived on Hastings beach after being rescued by lifeboats in the Channel. The group - including several children - were handed over to Border Force officials. In total, 1,185 people crossed the Channel by boat to reach the UK on November 11, a new record for migrant crossings in a single day.

https://www.hastingsobserver.co.uk/news/people/hastings-fishermen-explain-circumstances-over-rnli-lifeboat-blocking-3476922