A PEACEFUL migrant solidarity protest at the Eurotunnel terminal in Folkestone on Saturday was attacked by members of Britain First and the English Defence League.

A vigil organised by the Folkestone United group to mark the deaths of 11 desperate refugees trying to enter Britain was marred by the violent mob.

Speaking to the Star, Thanet People’s Assembly organiser Bridget Chapman said “scuffles” followed an attack by the racist groups, despite heavy policing.

Ms Chapman, who organised the protest, explained that she had to act after “some friends and I were very moved by the death of the Sudanese boy on one of the Channel tunnel trains.

“We wanted to send a clear message to the migrants that we support them.”

She added they also aimed to “tell the media that we will no longer tolerate irresponsible reporting of this crisis and that the focus needs to be firmly on the plight of the migrants and not on the inconvenience to holiday makers.

“We wanted to ask Eurotunnel how a boy could up up dead on the freight deck of one of their trains.”

Last week’s news that a 30-year-old Sudanese man died trying to cross the Channel brought the number of migrant casualties on the tunnel line to nine just over a month.

Coverage of the ongoing refugee crisis taking place on both sides of the English Channel has been heavily criticised by migrant groups and charities who have described it as “inflammatory” and skewed.

A Church of England bishop has also come out against the Prime Minister’s approach to the tragedy after David Cameron described those seeking refuge in Britain as a “swarm.”

Bishop of Dover Trevor Willmott said: “We’ve become ana increasingly harsh world, and when we become harsh with each other and forget our humanity then we end up in these stand-off positions. 

“We need to rediscover what it is to be a human, and that every human being matters.”