Hastings councillors condemn 'appalling abuse' of lifeboat crews

Hastings Borough Council voted in favour of a motion, which called on it to set out its support for the RNLI and the Pett Level Independent Rescue Boat following ‘online and in person abuse by right wing protesters’.

The motion was tabled by independent councillor Danuta Kean and seconded by Green Party councillor Mike Frith.

Cllr Kean said: “All through its history the RNLI has had the view that if you are the water, they rescue [you].

“That is anybody, be they a person who has got into trouble because of cross-tides, a person whose dog has decided to go for a wander where they shouldn’t, or somebody who has been unable to find a legal route to get into Britain and claim asylum and so is forced into the hands of people smugglers and onto dangerous dinghies.”

She added: “It really, really breaks me to see the attacks on the people who work for the RNLI. It is disgusting, especially as it hides behind the cloaks of anonymity; be it a balaclava or be it online and on that cesspool of Twitter.”

The council has committed to issue a public statement setting its support of the rescue organisations and its criticism of “appalling online and in person abuse of lifeboat crews and their families by right wing protesters”.

The motion said the statement should highlight “Hastings’ status as a town of refuge, where all who are rescued from downing, be they local sailor or asylum-seeker forced by the lack of legal routes into the hands of people smugglers, is welcome and can feel safe”.

This wording saw criticism from the council’s Conservative and Reform UK groups.

Cllr Doreena Ross, leader of the council’s Reform UK group, put forward an amendment seeking to remove this from the motion.

She said: “The council is being requested to issue a public statement on the RNLI and in the very same breath to reiterate Hastings’ status as a town of refuge, with a statement specifically referring to those at sea and welcoming asylum seekers.

“Those are two very separate issues and there is an important distinction between supporting the RNLI and using the statement of support to endorse a particular Hastings political position on migration.”

Cllr Ross said she ‘fully supports’ the RNLI and would “unequivocally condemn any attacks, abuse or intimidation directed toward RNLI crews or volunteers”.

Conservative group leader Paul Foster said the statement could be an ‘encouragement’ for people to attempt the crossing.

The party’s two councillors abstained from voting on either the amendment or main motion.

Council deputy leader Julia Hilton (Green) said: “The fact that Hastings is a town of refuge is the settled view of this council. It was reiterated at a motion not long ago.

“So this is not about linking things. It is about reiterating a settled view and commitment of this council. So there is no nonsense about encouraging people to come or whatever else.”

Labour group leader Helen Kay said its inclusion in the statement would be “absolutely appropriate”.

She said: “We owe lifeboat volunteers an enormous debt and we cannot have their lives put at further risk by any sort of protest in any sort of way.”