RNLI fundraiser for 'Flying Farage' hovercraft jumps £5,000 after far-right thugs attack hero volunteers

RNLI fundraiser for 'Flying Farage' hovercraft jumps £5,000 after far-right thugs attack hero volunteers EXCLUSIVE: After a far-right group confronted RNLI crews on Sunday night in Portsmouth, a wave of good-hearted Brits poured money into the charity once again, to counteract their attacks A satirical fundraiser for an RNLI 'Flying Farage' hovercraft has jumped by more than £5,000 in just two days, after far-right attacks on volunteers sparked a furious backlash. The GoFundMe campaign, launched by Simon Harris - known as ManBehavingDadly on social media - has raised a staggering £336,000 for the Royal National Lifeboat Institute (RNLI) since 2021. He started the fundraiser years ago, after Reform UK leader Nigel Farage brazenly branded the RNLI a "taxi service for illegal immigration". It's been running for five years now, and donations suddenly spiked in the aftermath of vile attacks on volunteers. After a far-right group confronted RNLI crews on Sunday night in Portsmouth, a wave of good-hearted Brits poured money into the charity once again, to counteract their attacks. The total amount raised subsequently jumped from £331,000 on Sunday, to more than £336,000. The crews, who were based on the Isle of Wight, helped a 'mega dinghy' carrying about 120 people which was stranded in the Channel. It came into UK waters from Cherbourg, near the ferry crossing for Portsmouth, rather than using the usual route from Calais into Dover, Kent. They were saved by lifeboat rescuers, who returned back to shore to find a group of balaclava-clad men in a boat shouting: “How do you feel bringing illegal migrants into this country?” You can donate to the GoFundMe here A volunteer in a yellow life jacket told them: “I don’t know; I haven’t brought any in.” The protestors replied: "Look at these guys. Absolute traitors to this country. Look at the state of you.” Other footage posted also showed people shouting abuse at an RNLI crew on their boat. There were again calls of 'traitors' and 'Yellow jackets, yellowbellies'. Another protestor described the lifesaving crews as 'scum'. Police launched a hunt for the masked thugs, who injured officers and damaged vehicles during anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth. They were investigating potential assaults and criminal damage, after black-clad activists attempted to block migrants being driven away overnight on Sunday. Meanwhile, Mr Farage also previously criticised the RNLI, claiming it was encouraging more unsafe crossings in small boats, as it was working as a "taxi service". The RNLI later responded by declaring its obligation to help anyone in distress on coastal waters, under international maritime law. Mr Harris said his opinion of the Reform leader was low, and it gets lower every time he attacks the RNLI. He told the Mirror: "It's like the NHS. RNLI volunteers are risking their lives - they're not being paid for it. It should be almost like a sacred cow." The campaign has quietly been raising hundreds of thousands of pounds over a number of years, with the ultimate goal of reaching £500,000. All money was donated directly to the RNLI, and the decision whether to buy a 'Flying Farage' was at the charity's discretion. But, all donations have been ring-fenced for running costs at RNLI stations in the south-east of England. Mr Harris wrote on the GoFundMe: "This means that there’s always a very good chance that donations will go towards helping the very people that Farage and many other ruddy-faced gammons love screaming at in The Channel." Mr Farage was the inspiration behind the fundraiser, but right-wing criticism of the charity has been continuing for a number of years, meaning donations have continued to rise. Mr Harris said: "We're trying to make sure that for every dipstick who pulls his direct debit to the RNLI, there are another five or six people who are ready to step in and speak up on their behalf and help them out. "In the last few days, it's taken a really sinister turn . Now we've got RNLI volunteers being photographed and named, and addresses flying around and getting doxxed. I've had quite a few messages from people who have got relatives who are serving lifeboat volunteers, and they're absolutely worried sick - especially after what happened in Portsmouth the other night." Just 5.7% of people who crossed the Channel in small boats in 2015 were rescued by RNLI volunteers. The overwhelming majority of people were rescued by other agencies, including the Border Force. The charity wrote on its website: "Lifeboat crews don’t pick who they rescue. They will answer the call for help whenever it comes. Whatever the situation, they will always do what they can to save every one they can."