Posted by Scott Lucas | May 15, 2021 |
French fishing boats off the coast of Jersey, May 6, 2021 (AP)
The Daily Mail’s front page blared, “We’re Ready for War”.
If you have “Jersey and French Fishing Boats” on your card for 1st Brexit military showdown you’re a winner.
The invocations of 1914 and 1939 continued for the next 48 hours. “Boris Sends Gunboats Into Jersey“, the Mail trumpeted. A UK Government official fed The Telegraph, “At least when the Germans invaded they kept the lights on.” Somewhat bizarrely, France’s forces waged battle on their own port: “Now the French Threaten to Blockade Calais“, before it was V-F (Victory Over France) Day: “Victoire! Two Royal Navy Ships Send French Fishing Flotilla Scurrying Back Home”.
The Athos boat travelled along the River Seine from Rouen to Le Havre then around Cherbourg towards Jersey - after two UK Navy vessels began patrolling waters around the island.
Boris Johnson deployed vessels HMS Severn and HMS Tamar to monitor protest
Ships are armed with menacing cannons and machine guns and are patrolling
One re-enactment enthusiast felt the urge to intervene with his own weaponry
Lone man shot a blank-firing musket into the water from Elizabeth Castle today
Footage shows him loading up his weapon before firing it into the harbour
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THIS is the dramatic moment a 35ft French trawler deliberately rams into a British boat as the fishing war turns nasty in Jersey.
Jonathan Ruff s boat was bashed in the stern by the French vessel Lasgot as he bravely went out to sea to face the group of 100 invaders .
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People on board the vessels were seen setting off flares as tensions continued to rise this morning - with the Royal Navy lurking in the backgroundCredit: SWNS
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Jonathan Ruff s boat was rammed by the French vessel Lasgot as he bravely went out to sea to face off the group of around 100 fishermen
Au revoir! Two Royal Navy ships send French fishermen scurrying back home from Jersey after one of them RAMS a British boat in fishing row - as gunboats prepare to return to port in the UK but remain on standby
Fishermen said they were ready to restage the Battle of Trafalgar as they descended on harbour this morning
David Sellam, head of the Normandy sea authority, said: We re ready for war. We can bring Jersey to its knees
But by 1.30pm navigation charts showed the armada had given in and was sailing back towards home waters
Observer said French boats blockading the harbour had returned home but were not dropping their demands