Minister condemns disorder at Portsmouth anti-migrant protest

Unrest erupted in Portsmouth, England, after a group of approximately 200 individuals, some wearing masks, confronted riot police near the Eastney Landing ferry port area. The protests were triggered after 120 migrants, who had crossed the English Channel from France in a single dinghy, were brought ashore in the locality.

Demonstrators blocked traffic and attempted to obstruct coaches parked on the road leading away from Eastney Marina. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary enforced a dispersal order, granting officers the authority to arrest anyone failing to comply, amid heightened tensions following a similar large-scale protest in Dover on Saturday.

Police reported that a handful of officers received treatment at the scene for minor injuries. Authorities emphasized that violence and criminal damage have no place in peaceful protest. While no arrests were made initially, an investigation has been launched to identify offenders responsible for assaults on officers and criminal damage to vehicles.

Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event

Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo and an associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson, was livestreaming from the location and urged his supporters to head to Eastney to stop the migrants from being transported to the Manston processing centre in Kent. The coaches carrying the migrants eventually departed in the early hours of Monday, with the Border Force confirming the individuals were moved outside Hampshire for processing.