I WENT OUT WITH THE RNLI — NOW I’M FURIOUS AT HOW VOLUNTEERS ARE BEING TREATED FOR SAVING LIVES

They went to sea to help people in danger.

They came back to accusations of betrayal.

RNLI lifeboat crews have found themselves at the centre of a furious political row after rescuing migrants who arrived in Portsmouth — with volunteers reportedly facing abuse and hostility from anti-migrant protesters.

The controversy erupted after an RNLI operation brought around 140 migrants ashore at Eastney, Portsmouth, following a journey across the Channel.

The operation quickly became the focus of protests, with around 200 demonstrators gathering at the port.

Some protesters reportedly confronted returning lifeboat crews and branded them “traitors.”

“WE WERE THERE TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE”

One RNLI volunteer, identified only as Neil, said he was later pictured on social media and labelled a traitor.

But according to Neil, his crew’s role during the protest was not about politics.

They had been tasked with illuminating the beach to help keep protesters in the water safe.

“We were there … purely for the safety of the protesters,” he told the BBC, according to The Sun.

His message was simple:

He was doing the job he had volunteered to do — keeping people safe at sea.

The RNLI has long maintained that its crews respond to people in danger at sea without judging who they are or why they are there.

That principle has now placed its volunteers directly in the middle of Britain’s increasingly heated debate over migration.

THE NIGHT THAT TURNED INTO CHAOS

The Portsmouth controversy began after a large inflatable boat carrying approximately 140 migrants was intercepted in the Solent.

The vessel had reportedly travelled from Normandy on an unusually long Channel crossing.

Among those rescued were women and young children.

The RNLI crew eventually brought the group ashore at Eastney after being unable to land them at Southampton or Portsmouth Harbour.

Authorities said the migrants were subsequently taken away for processing.

But as the operation unfolded, protesters gathered near the landing site.

Traffic was blocked, police were deployed and several vehicles were reportedly damaged.

Police officers were also injured during the disorder, while protesters were accused of throwing rocks and bricks.

And in the middle of it all were the lifeboat volunteers.

NOW RNLI CREWS ARE BEING WARNED

The backlash has become serious enough that the RNLI has issued new safety guidance to its staff and volunteers.

The charity said it had enhanced security at some locations and advised its people on how to deal with potentially difficult encounters.

In some circumstances, staff have been told they may wish to avoid wearing RNLI-branded clothing in public.

The organisation said the guidance followed what it described as “unacceptable abuse.”

It also reminded its people that their personal safety comes first and encouraged them to report incidents internally and, where appropriate, to police.

For volunteers who spend their time training, launching lifeboats and responding to emergencies, the development has triggered an uncomfortable question:

How did rescuing people in danger become something that could make a volunteer a target?

THE RNLI IS NOW CAUGHT IN A MUCH BIGGER FIGHT

The row comes at a time when Britain’s small-boat crossings have become one of the country’s most divisive political issues.

Anti-migrant protesters have staged demonstrations in both Portsmouth and Dover, with hundreds gathering during recent protests.

The Portsmouth disorder has drawn condemnation from politicians and police, while calls for tougher action against those involved in violence have intensified.

But the RNLI has remained focused on its traditional role.

Its crews are not border officials.

They are not politicians.

They are volunteers responding to people who may be in danger at sea.

And that distinction is now at the heart of the controversy.

“I’M NOT A TRAITOR”

For the volunteers caught up in the backlash, the message is deeply personal.

Neil said he wanted those who had labelled him a traitor to understand why he was there.

He had gone out because people were in the water and safety was required.

Not because of their politics.

Not because of their nationality.

Simply because someone needed help.

The RNLI now faces the difficult task of protecting its crews while continuing to carry out a mission that has remained largely unchanged for generations.

Because whatever someone thinks about Britain’s immigration system, one question remains:

WHEN SOMEONE IS IN DANGER AT SEA, SHOULD SAVING THEIR LIFE EVER BECOME A REASON TO CALL THE RESCUER A TRAITOR?