The government decree mentions several anti-migrants operations carried out by the group and its “intention to act as a private militia.” Government spokesman Gabriel Attal said “with that decision we are putting an end to sometimes violent actions from the group.” The Lyon-based group was the backbone of a 2017 “Defend Europe” mission on the Mediterranean Seat that used a chartered anti-migrant ship crewed by European citizens. In recent years Generation Identity members have staged several operations in a bid to stop migrants from entering the country by crossing the border with Italy in the Alps and Spain in the Pyrenees mountains.