Activists of the far-right groups Defend Europe (“Protect Europe”) sent to the Mediterranean the ship to counter the ships involved in the rescue of migrants off the coast of North Africa. About it reports The Independent.
In addition, in a special statement, the organization said that the purpose of the mission is also to curb the activities of people smugglers, and the destruction of their boats, which will be found empty. “We will help anyone who will apply the SOS signal, but all the saved will be sent back to Africa”, — the document says.
Criticism of this initiative were the defenders. Lead counsel for the group Hope Not Hate Joe Mulhall said that the mission would interfere with rescue efforts and to put the lives of refugees at risk. The lawyer said that the actions of right-wing activists also give reason for serious concern. According to him, “they brought all the international far-right movement” and raised funds from supporters around the world.
The newspaper reminds that in may of this year, the barge, belonging to Defend Europe, tried unsuccessfully to block the ship of the organization “Doctors without borders”. After this incident, the extreme right has gathered 100 thousand euros for the purchase of a larger vehicle, so as to better prevent humanitarian organizations in the rescue of refugees.
According to The Independent, grouping Defend Europe has extensive links with anti-Islamic and antiimmigration organizations in Europe.
Since the beginning of this year in Italy on the Mediterranean sea arrived about 85 thousand illegal migrants, about two thousand refugees drowned.