We've seen many pictures of French police watching the boat launches, particularly the front-page one of two policemen using their VW headlights to floodlight a large RIB launch by an estimated 45/50 athletic young men (oops, sorry I meant children). Many years back I saw a handful of police trying to contain 2000 rioters. It didn't end well, as most of the personnel who served in Northern Ireland can tell you.