Hundreds of protesters blocked streets in Portsmouth late Sunday to stop the arrival of about 140 migrants from France by small boat, chanting slogans like "Stop the boats" [1, 2, 3]. This marked a shift as such boats usually land near Dover, but migrants arrived in Portsmouth for the first time in significant numbers this weekend [1].
The demonstration followed a masked protest on Saturday at Dover port that disrupted traffic, making the Portsmouth rally the second anti-migrant event in two days [1, 3]. Authorities said the protests were quickly organized and linked to far-right groups. Sources identified Daniel Thomas, an ally of far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, as a leader [3].
UK chief secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds condemned the protests as "thuggish and intimidating behaviour" and said that while she supports peaceful protest rights, the events crossed a line. She praised police and emergency services for bringing the situation under control. She stated, "Perhaps the scale of the protest was something that we hadn’t seen before, but the police have brought this under control" [1, 2, 3].
Statistics show about 17,000 asylum seekers arrived in the UK by small boats from January 1 to September 1 this year, a 43% decrease compared to the same period last year [1, 3]. However, smugglers are adjusting tactics by increasing the number of people per boat [1].
The Portsmouth protests underscore tensions around migrant arrivals as the government manages a reduced but still significant influx. Officials continue to monitor ports where such boats land. No further protests have been reported since Sunday, and police remain vigilant in Portsmouth and Dover.
Emma Reynolds gave interviews Monday detailing her stance and the authorities' response, with police continuing their efforts to maintain order amid continuing migrant arrivals in the south of England [1, 2, 3].
