RNLI volunteer targeted online and branded 'traitor' after Portsmouth protests
An RNLI lifeboat volunteer was subjected to online harassment after being misidentified as assisting migrants during protests in Portsmouth. Despite the abuse and false accusations of being a 'traitor,' the volunteer maintains his commitment to his lifesaving duties.
Why it matters
This incident illustrates the real-world consequences of online misinformation and the harassment of public service workers during polarized political events.
By Marco Silva, Benedict Garman and Adam Durbin BBC Verify Published 41 minutes ago An RNLI volunteer who was targeted with abuse online after being wrongly identified as having helped small boat migrants reach land in Portsmouth has told BBC Verify he is not a "traitor".
Neil and his colleagues were filmed wearing their lifesaving gear on a lifeboat by anti-migrant activists near the harbour on Sunday night, after hundreds of protesters descended on the area and shut down roads in response to dozens of asylum seekers being brought to shore.
The lifeboat crew's images were later used in posts accusing them of assisting what some users on X described as "an invasion", several of which also called for them to be "named and shamed".
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