French police have arrested five members of a far-right group who have allegedly been posing as police officers and attacking and robbing asylum seekers in Calais.

The men are reportedly responsible for seven assaults upon asylum seekers since the start of the year, French Broadcaster iTele reports .

Among those arrested are the alleged founder of an anti-immigration movement and several protest organisers.

The group is alleged to have dressed in combat boots and armed themselves with iron bars before advancing in a human cordon on asylum seekers trying to board trucks entering the Channel Tunnel, bound for the UK.

Police said the group then stole cash and mobile phones with a total estimated value of €4,000 ($5901) while shouting “Police!” when bystanders tried to intervene.

The five men have reportedly admitted to multiple charges and are due to face court in Boulogne-sur-Mer at a future date.

The alleged attacks follow a number of other reported assaults on asylum seekers around Europe, including one in Cologne that lead to the beating of 11 Pakistani victims.