Members of the far-right political group Britain First say they are patrolling beaches in the south of England to 'catch migrants' crossing the Channel.
The group said it sent people – including convicted criminal leader Paul Golding – out to a beach near Dover on the lookout for desperate migrants who risk their lives to get to Britain from France.
However a pro-migrant group called the move 'unsettling', saying that people must respect British law when it comes to people landing on our shores.
Britain First shared pictures of their "patriot migrant patrol" on its website, saying: "Equipped with torches, binoculars and hi-vis jackets, our activists patrolled the beach keeping a close eye out for migrant crossings."
It has been called "Operation White Cliffs" by the group, who searched Samphire Hoe Beach near Dover last Saturday as hundreds of migrants have made it into the UK in recent weeks.
The group reportedly says it would alert police and the Coastguard to crossings.
A spokesman for pro-migrant group, Care4Calais, said: "We are shocked and concerned to learn of this unsettling development on our Kent coastline.
"When deeply traumatised men, women and children arrive on our shores they are often in need of medical attention and should be met by professionals.
"We urge anyone who thinks otherwise to please think again.
"Whatever your opinion regarding the arrival of people from France, we believe it is essential to maintain respect for British law and trust in the work carried out by our emergency response services."
More than 1,200 migrants have crossed the Channel this year – more than the whole of 2018.
Last Tuesday a record 86 made it over in one day, and in August a total of 336 – also a record – crossed the Dover Strait, one of the world's busiest shipping lanes.
The perilous crossing has also seen two migrants – a man and a woman – die this summer.
They are charged thousands by people smugglers, who send them over from Calais in small boats.
Hundreds more are expected to make the crossing before the seasons change.
And many are anticipated to come from camps which have recently been shut down.
An encampment holding 1,100 – including children – at a disused gym site in Grande-Synthe, near Dunkirk, yesterday, while 400 asylum seekers were cleared from a site in Calais last week.
On its page, Britain First writes about its patrols: "This particular beach has been the main landing ground for multiple illegal migrant crossings.
"This new operation has been dubbed 'Operation White Cliffs' and will be escalated over the next few weeks."
The group was mocked by a number of people on the page in a comments section.
John Griffin wrote: "How many beaches are you jackbooted eejits patrolling?"
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