Hundreds of anti-migrant protesters gathered in Portsmouth, England, after around 140 migrants arrived by small boat from France. Demonstrators blocked roads and confronted police in an attempt to prevent buses carrying the migrants from leaving the area.
The protest continued for hours, with police eventually dispersing the crowd in the early hours of Monday. A number of officers were injured, while police, Coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged during the unrest.
The British government condemned what it described as intimidating and “thuggish” behaviour. Authorities said peaceful protest is permitted, but warned that violence, criminal damage and attacks on officers could lead to prosecution.
The Portsmouth demonstration came just two days after a similar anti-migrant protest in Dover, where demonstrators also blocked roads and disrupted traffic near the port.
The latest unrest highlights growing tensions over immigration in Britain, particularly the arrival of migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats. Portsmouth is an unusual landing point compared with the more common route toward Dover.
Despite the protests, the number of Channel crossings has fallen this year. Government figures indicate arrivals are down significantly compared with the same period last year. But with migration remaining a highly sensitive political issue, further protests and tensions are likely to continue.
