Videos circulating online appear to show French police intervening during a visit by British YouTuber AY Audits and fellow social media campaigners to northern France. Reports that the group was arrested have not yet been independently confirmed by French authorities.
AY Audits is the online name used by Anthony Barnes, who has filmed anti-immigration demonstrations and encounters outside accommodation used for asylum seekers in Britain. Footage shared on 29 and 30 October 2026 has prompted claims that Barnes and others were detained during a trip to the French coast.
What we know
A video circulated under the title “AY AUDITS ARRESTED in france” shows uniformed police officers in a residential street and people apparently being escorted or controlled nearby. Its description claims that AY Audits and several other online personalities were arrested shortly after arriving in France. The description tags a number of accounts, but does not independently establish who was present or whether each person was detained.
UKNIP reported on 30 October that a person associated with the filming group described seeing AY Audits and others detained on Thursday 29 October. The person reportedly said they were filming from a distance, had not themselves been arrested and did not know the reason for the apparent detentions.
Separate reporting by Berkshire999 described a confrontation appearing in another circulating clip, in which Barnes was alleged to have threatened people believed to be migrants. The wider circumstances and the claims made about the exchange have not been independently established.
What we don’t know
Fish 4 News has not obtained confirmation from the relevant French police force or prosecutor identifying a formal arrest, a custody decision or any suspected criminal offence. The exact location, number of people involved, their identities, whether anyone was released and whether charges might follow remain unclear.
Neither the presence of police in a video nor an online claim that someone was arrested establishes that an offence was committed. No allegation against the people named in the video’s description should be treated as proven.
Who is AY Audits?
Anthony Barnes, who posts as AY Audits, has previously filmed at demonstrations opposing the use of hotels for asylum seekers. The Guardian identified Barnes by name in reports on anti-migrant protests in June and September 2026. His role in those demonstrations is established background, but does not determine what happened in France this week.
Why British activists have been filming in France
British online campaigners have been travelling to northern France to film attempted Channel crossings and confrontations around coastal locations. The Times reported earlier in October on a group describing themselves as “migrant hunters”, including Barnes, whose activities had led to clashes with French police. That previous reporting is separate from the unconfirmed events of 29 October.
What happens next
The key outstanding question is whether French authorities confirm that Barnes or any companions were formally detained and, if so, why. Fish 4 News will distinguish any official account from claims made by participants and social media commentators.
