Protesters Clash With Police After 140 Migrants Land in Portsmouth
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is investigating alleged assaults and criminal damage after about 200 activists tried to block migrant transport.
- On Sunday, 140 migrants arrived at Eastney Marina in Portsmouth after being rescued from a dinghy that departed from Normandy, prompting masked protesters to block access roads and prevent coaches from transporting them for processing.
- Patriot Platform, led by Daniel Thomas, organized the blockade following a similar demonstration on Saturday at the Port of Dover, where masked protesters disrupted ferry traffic in both directions.
- Hampshire Police deployed officers with riot shields to form protective cordons around the coaches. A Section 14 dispersal order issued at 3 a.m. Monday cleared the area, prompting investigations into assaults on officers and criminal damage to vehicles.
- Treasury Chief Secretary Emma Reynolds condemned the behavior as "thuggish and intimidating," while Portsmouth City Council leader Steve Pitt criticized the landing site as "completely unsuitable location," citing operational strain.
- Smugglers appear to be shifting operations toward Normandy, 170 miles from Calais, to evade tighter enforcement around traditional launch points. Conservative MP Joe Robertson demanded clarity on whether new routes are being exploited by people smugglers.
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British government condemns anti-migrant protests at ports over Channel boat crossings
The British government on Monday condemned the "intimidating and thuggish behavior" of anti-immigrant demonstrators who converged on a port in southern England where migrants were brought ashore after crossing the English Channel.
UK protests: Hundreds of demonstrators in standoff against police...
Video footage showed protesters facing up to police and shouting 'stop the boats' on Sunday evening Hundreds of demonstrators descended on Portsmouth after migrants heading towards the Hampshire coast on a small boat were intercepted and brought ashore. Around 140 migrants are believed to have disembarked near Eastney in Portsmouth, and will be taken to Manston immigration centre in Kent for processing. Demonstrators blocked roads for hours on S…
UK PM denounces 'politics of poison' after anti-migrant protests
The UK government condemned tonight the "intimidating and bullying behavior" of anti-immigrant protesters who gathered in the port of Portsmouth in the south of England, where migrants were arriving in rescue boats after crossing the English Channel.
Hundreds of masked people gathered in Dover and Portsmouth, UK, this weekend to protest against migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. The protests have drawn criticism from British politicians, with the government calling the demonstrators “gangster-like.”
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