French police deployed 4x4 vehicles funded by the UK government to charge at student protesters during school demonstrations in Dunkirk, according to The Guardian. The French government has launched an investigation into the use of the vehicles, which were originally purchased with British taxpayer money specifically to prevent asylum seekers from crossing the Channel.
The incident occurred during nationwide school protests that have swept France. The repurposing of the UK-funded vehicles raises questions about how equipment designated for border control was deployed against domestic protesters.
The French government's decision to investigate suggests official concern about the misuse of the vehicles outside their intended purpose. The source does not provide details on the scale of the protests, the number of vehicles used, whether any protesters were injured, or when the investigation was initiated.
The funding arrangement reflects broader cooperation between the UK and French governments on Channel migration enforcement. That collaboration now faces scrutiny over how the purchased equipment was actually deployed within French law enforcement operations.