§ Mr. Russell Kerr(by Private Notice) asked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether his attention has been drawn to the events which occurred in the British ship "Invita" at Calais harbouron Sunday, 16th April, whether he intends to raise with the French Government the unprovoked action of French police in assaulting British citizens and destroying their property, and whether he will make a statement.
§ The Under-Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs (Mr. Anthony Royle)On the 14th April the French Embassy in London informed the organisers of the expedition that their group would not be allowed to land at Calais.
§ Mr. RoyleDespite this, the organisers went ahead with their plans. The French police boarded the "Invicta"on arrival at Calais. Members of the group were prevented from landing and their banners were confiscated. As far as I am aware, no one was hurt, and no request for British consular assistance was received.
§ Mr. KerrIs the Minister aware that the 25 or so gendarmes who invaded this British ship in Calais harbour did so without permission of the captain, without any provocation, visual, vocal or physical, from the British group aboard, who were to be the guests of the mayor of Calais, and they were themselves being definitely provocative in tearing posters from the hands of British subjects as well as, in some instances, destroying substantial property?
Will not the hon. Gentleman persuade his colleagues to withdraw their stupid attempt to enter the Common Market, and at least have the common decency to inform the British people that their civil liberties and their rights of peaceful protest are under heavy attack?
§ Mr. RoyleVessels in port come under the jurisdiction of the port authorities. There are no legal grounds on which we could dispute the action of the French police in boarding the ship. We have received no complaints from either the captain or the owners.
Perhaps I might congratulate the hon. Gentleman on the publicity he has obtained for his anti-Market views. I am informed that the group began to demontrate on deck as the "Invicta" prepared to dock. [HON. MEMBERS: "So what?"] I am informed also that some were shouting the phrase "A bas Pompidou". As the hon. Gentleman knows, I have always held him in the highest respect, but I invite him to imagine his own reaction if 200 foreigners arrived in his constituency during an election campaign with the intention of demonstrating on a matter of concern to him.
§ Mr. WilkinsonI was a passenger on the M.V. "Invicta" yesterday——
§ Mr. Wilkinson—and, having seen the hon. Member for Feltham (Mr, Russell Kerr) may I suggest that he would have been a not very dangerous invasion upon French soil? They were certainly an even more jocund company when they reached England than they were when they reached France.