‘I was crew for around 10 years’: The RNLI family standing firm against a wave of abuse

RNLI volunteers have spent the past fortnight facing threats, doxing and online abuse after false claims linked the charity to Channel rescues, following anti-migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth.

The charity’s own statement branded the abuse “unacceptable” – and Independent readers overwhelmingly agree.

Dozens of commenters described the unpaid volunteers, who save hundreds of lives around the UK and Ireland’s coasts every year, as “the best of Britain”, with several saying the abuse had prompted them to donate to the charity or buy RNLI merchandise.

A satirical GoFundMe originally set up to mock Nigel Farage – after his 2021 description of the RNLI as a “taxi service for illegal immigration” – has now raised hundreds of thousands of pounds for the charity.

Plenty of readers placed the blame for the current wave of abuse squarely on politicians rather than the volunteers themselves, arguing that years of rhetoric about small boats had been redirected at an apolitical charity simply doing the job it has done for 200 years.

Here’s what you had to say:

I am proud of my association with the RNLI

I was crew for around 10 years, and I’ve been volunteering as a medical adviser for over 20. My son is a lifeboat helmsman, and my future daughter-in-law is a crew member. I have witnessed lives saved and seen many acts of bravery over those years. I am proud of my association with the RNLI, and I fully intend to continue wearing clothing with RNLI insignia.

Sprocker

The RNLI represents the best of Britain

What could be more respectable, more patriotic, more quintessentially British than a bunch of volunteers risking their lives to help others?

Consider that the RNLI is funded by the public – it gets no taxpayer cash. It seems these latter-day Black Shirts have made a big miscalculation – the British people love the RNLI volunteers much more than the thugs who attack them. The RNLI represent the very best of Britain, and like millions of people, I’m proud to support them.”

OpenMinds

Blame starts with Farage

Lest we forget, it was greedy Farage who first accused these brave RNLI volunteers of being an “immigrant’s taxi service”. He is responsible for the start of this appalling outrage and should be ashamed. The good news is that donations to the charity have boomed since the weekend, which is enough to restore one’s faith in the decent, honourable British public. Unlike the masked cowards, they’re the true patriots.

hayneman

Abuse only makes me want to give more

Have just donated to RNLI. I donate regularly but was prompted to give more by the hateful fascists demonstrating last weekend. What did those protesters want to have happened? Those 100-plus human beings in the water being left to drown? Shame on them!

Janette

The ‘Farage hovercraft’ fundraiser keeps growing

The GoFundMe appeal to raise money to buy an RNLI hovercraft, named after Farage, is still open. If people have the means to do so – even if it’s just a quid or two – why not donate to the RNLI to help them in their mission to save anyone in distress in UK waters, without fear or favour or discrimination.

WellActually

Just a horrible minority, not the country

Only a minority of horrible people – the rest of us appreciate what you do as volunteers, saving lives. So sad to hear those targeting the RNLI.

Red Dragon

Buy the merchandise, make the donation

Buy RNLI clothing. Strength in numbers. And donations at the same time.

Ajames

One day you might need them

Anyone who questions these brave RNLI teams should be ashamed. One day, if you ever need them, you might realise what these people do.

KylieJordan

What are they scared of?

Every time this nonsense happens, I go back to the same basic question: what exactly are these black-clad cowards scared of? I’ve proudly supported the RNLI since Farage’s “taxi service” outburst, and I've watched Saving Lives at Sea for years. I know who the heroes are.

AnOldGoat

Two types of people

“This incident has shown us two completely different species of people: one who volunteer and risk their lives, without question, to save anyone in trouble at sea – the other a bunch of louts too cowardly to do anything but hide behind balaclavas. One is all that is best about the UK; the other, all that is worse.”

Wokeinthecountry

Compassion and consideration are virtues

These cowards need to be told, firmly, that theirs is not most people’s Britain, and that compassion and consideration are virtues.

Neuendorf

Some of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.

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