'We're not just going to sit here': The Jersey businessman who protested the blockade in his boat
When Jonathan Ruff decided to take his boat out at dawn to meet French protesters gathered off Jersey’s main port, he never expected it would end with his boat being deliberately rammed.
Mr Ruff, a 40-year-old businessman who has lived on the island for 13 years, said himself and two friends hatched a plan on Wednesday night to head out to the anticipated blockade and “show support” for Jersey.
“We went out to show the French that we’re not just going to sit here and let you do what you want,” he told The Telegraph.
He said he was “amazed” when they got out there to find more than 60 French boats and fishermen letting off flares.
The boats gathered off the island's main port St Helier early Thursday morning to protest against the new licences they have been required to obtain from the Jersey government to carry on operating.
“When you're driving up to them when they're out at sea, you do get the anxiety, you think ‘Jesus, what are they planning?,” he added.
The vessels started to form lines and head towards the harbour entrance, he claimed, and he realised if they blocked the entrance he would not be able to get back to shore.
“Then we just stood our ground in the harbour and tried to, in a way, block boats from coming forward because obviously they have no right to be there,” he said.
“Then one French nutcase decided he wanted to drive a bit too fast and ended up whacking the back of my boat.”
Mr Ruff said the vessel had its engines “revved high” despite the speed limit in the area only being five knots.
The boat backed off slightly and despite the damage he repositioned his boat in front of the harbour for a second time. “I wasn’t going back in,” he said.
Mr Ruff remained in that position for a “good couple of hours” despite the lashing rain and intimidating approaches from other boats, some of which he described as “monsters” compared to his own 28ft Axopar sportsboat.
“There was one that came very close up to me, his nose was probably less than half a metre away, that would have probably just chopped me in half,” he said. “We did not move though, did not move.”
The whole experience was “bizarre”, Mr Ruff explained, “What gives them the right to come and do that in someone else’s country… imagine if we did that to France?”
The incident has caused around £1,000 in damage to his boat, Mr Ruff claimed, calling it a “battle scar”.
He admitted the actions of himself and his friends would never have been able to stop the French boats if they decided to enter the harbour but, he added, “we made life difficult for them, let’s put it that way”.
Asked if he thought the French vessels would be back again, he said “there is a chance”. If he went out again Mr Ruff said he would “get the biggest boat I can find”.
The protest leaders denied they were seeking to impose a blockade and the flotilla eventually headed back to France around lunchtime.
In an attempt to defuse the row, representatives of the Jersey government met the fishermen, with their boat pulling alongside one of the French vessels so they could talk ship-to-ship while observing Covid restrictions.
External relations minister Ian Gorst said the discussions were "positive".
