Abuse of RNLI volunteers is “wholly unacceptable in a civilised society”, the charity’s chief executive has said following anti-migrant demonstrations at the weekend.

Peter Sparkes said recent protests had “generated deliberate misinformation and a misunderstanding” about the charity, and condemned threats by “those who would hide behind a balaclava or a keyboard”.

Crowds of masked men blocked road access to the Port of Dover on Saturday, followed by official vehicles being damaged and a handful of police officers being injured in a stand-off with protesters overnight on Sunday in Portsmouth.

Mr Sparkes’s words come after footage posted on social media showed volunteers labelled as “traitors” after helping a dinghy to safety in Portsmouth.

In a statement issued on Tuesday, Mr Sparkes said: “Recent events have generated deliberate misinformation and a misunderstanding about the RNLI – our purpose, our tasking, and particularly our lifesaving work in the Channel.

“Sadly, as a result, some of our volunteers and staff have been the subject of online and, in the worst cases, physical abuse.”