Anti-migration protests threaten lifeboat crews, warns charity watchdog

On September 6, the lifeboat charity helped bring around 120 migrants to shore in Portsmouth.

Subsequently, RNLI stations in Portsmouth were temporarily forced to close after several volunteers had their images shared online alongside accusations they were complicit in the "invasion" of Britain.

Reform UK Hampshire leader George Madgwick said he was subject to "extreme abuse" - the point of receiving personal security protection - after he said crews should "never be personally attacked", but did not "politically or morally agree that the RNLI should be assisting, in the English Channel, to bring undocumented people" to Britain.

Now, at the charity watchdog's annual public meeting, Dame Julia said Britain must resist the "normalisation of violence" in public debate during her annual speech.

She said: "I want to use this opportunity to condemn in the strongest terms the thuggery and intimidation that volunteers of the RNLI have faced over recent weeks - and indeed over months and even years.

"Charities must only do things that meet their purpose and objects.

"For the RNLI that means rescuing people in peril in the sea. It is not their right to do so. It is their absolute duty."

Dame Julia said the charity sector should have the "courage to tolerate vigorous debate", and accept that critics may disapprove of the work certain organisations do.

She added: "We should in fact welcome differences of view as evidence that we are living in a society in which everyone has freedom of conscience.

"But we must never grow accustomed to criminal or para-criminal abuse."

An RNLI spokesman has previously condemned the "unacceptable abuse our people have faced".

Members of the lifeboat charity have also been advised to avoid RNLI-branded clothing amid fears they could be targeted.

Small boat callouts represent 1.7 per cent of the RNLI's annual calls.

And just five per cent of small boats headed to British shores are met by the RNLI.

Dame Julia added: "I believe strongly that the most important contributions we can make to efforts to protect our democratic and pluralistic society is to remain an honest broker in the exercise of our functions and be willing, again and again, for as long as it takes, to resist the normalisation of violence."

Lisa Nandy, the Digital Secretary, said she would "tighten up the law" around doxxing - the act of posting someone's personal information online - in response to complaints from Peter Sparkes, the chief executive of the RNLI.

She also convened a meeting of major social media companies, including Meta and TikTok to address the issue, and later blasted Elon Musk-owned X for not showing up.

Vikki Slade, the Liberal Democrat MP for Mid Dorset and North Poole, characterised the posts as being "very disturbing".