``` The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) says its donations have been boosted significantly since the organisation’s volunteers were criticised by far-right agitators over migrant crossings to Britain.
As The Guardian reports, RNLI staff and volunteers say they were the target of “online and physical abuse” after involvement in a recent rescue of a dinghy carrying asylum seekers which was brought into Portsmouth.
RNLI vice-president Sir Robin Knox-Johnston has condemned the intimidation as “frankly quite disgraceful”.
An RNLI spokesperson told the newspaper: ‘We’ve seen a significant increase in the number of donations we have received this week, and we’ve welcomed a number of new supporters to our charity.”
“As always, we’re so grateful for the support we receive from our amazing supporters, without them we would not be able to deliver our vital lifesaving service,”the spokesperson said.
“Sadly, we have also been contacted by a number of supporters and members of the public who have informed us that they wish to withdraw their support in recent days,”the spokesperson added.
“Everyone at the RNLI remains focused on our core purpose of saving lives at sea.”
As Afloat has reported, the charity has increased security measures and has pledged to continue to rescue those in danger on the English Channel.
Read The Guardian here
