Police ‘absolutely ready’ to use powers to ban masks at anti-migration protestsThe NPCC’s national lead for policing protests said anyone engaging in criminality can ‘expect a knock at the door’.Police officers near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, where hundreds of protesters gathered after a small boat thought to be containing asylum seekers and heading towards the coast sparked a major response with a helicopter, aeroplane and lifeboats sent to the scene (PA)PA WireJosh Payne4 minutes ago
A police chief has said officers are “absolutely ready” to use powers to ban face coverings at anti-migration protests, saying hundreds of masked men descending on his town would make him “nervous as well”.
Forces have stepped up planning and intelligence-gathering ahead of the weekend after the Home Secretary warned that the protesters are trying to intimidate communities.
Deputy Chief Constable Andy Mariner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s national lead for policing protests, told the Press Association anyone who engages in criminality at protests to “expect a knock on the door”.
Forces have stepped up planning and intelligence-gathering after the Home Secretary warned that the protesters are trying to intimidate communities (Dan Kitwood/PA)PA Wire
The senior officer said police are “on top of” tactics used by groups such as Patriot Platform after Shabana Mahmood said stronger action is needed to deal with new methods used by such groups earlier this week.
At a meeting with senior officers on Thursday, the Home Secretary also made clear she expects police to make full use of their powers to stop protesters wearing face coverings.
Mr Mariner said it was “tricky” for commanders on the ground to use powers to stop people wearing face coverings, but added that officers will use the legislation “if they can”.
He told PA: “It’s really tricky for commanders on the ground sometimes to be able to use powers like this.
“There are a number of factors that need to be in place to to enable that to happen.
“In the case of Kent last weekend, it didn’t quite line up in that way.
A damaged police car with a smashed windscreen at Eastney Point in Portsmouth following a protest (Joe Sene/PA)PA Wire
“But the police officers that I’ve spoken to this morning, the commanders are absolutely ready to use that legislation, and they will do if they can.”
Crowds of masked men blocked road access to the Port of Dover on Saturday, followed by official vehicles being damaged and a handful of police officers being injured in a stand-off with protesters overnight on Sunday in Portsmouth.
It is understood the Government believes protesters wearing face coverings at the demonstration in Dover could have been arrested.
Police powers give senior officers the authority to declare a protest area where concealing one’s identity would be an offence, but this action was not taken.
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Asked if he agreed with the words of the Deputy Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Matt Jukes that the balaclava-wearing protesters were “sinister”, Mr Mariner said: “I mean, it does look sinister.
“If there were 200 people walking down my local town, I would be nervous as well.
Protesters at Dover Priory train station after black-clad and masked anti-illegal migrant demonstrators blocked roads in Dover (Oscar Rihll/PA)PA Wire
“Our job is there to protect the public. Police were present in both locations that we’ve talked about from the weekend, and we will have a coordinated response ready for this weekend should it happen.”
A group called “Portsmouth patriots” plans to march in the city on Saturday, with a counter-demonstration also planned.
Ms Mahmood told police chiefs: “These scenes have caused disruption for people and, given that people are dressed in black wearing balaclavas, there is a fear factor and obvious malign intent being communicated to our residents.
“This makes it different from other protests, so we need to make sure we are learning lessons.”
In response to the Home Secretary’s request, chief officers said they were ready to move quickly and effectively against “far-right groups” should it be necessary.
They set out an “enhanced and co-ordinated approach to intelligence gathering and operational planning… laying the groundwork for a more proactive response should it be needed,” the Home Office said.
Commenting on whether the tactics used by groups such as Patriot Platform were new to police, Mr Mariner told PA: “Their tactics are slightly different to what we’ve seen before. But we are on top of it.
“We’ve had a meeting this morning with key commanders from Kent and Hampshire, sharing exactly what they experienced in quite a lot of detail from the weekend to make sure that all commanders across the country are ready for whatever comes next.
“So we are, as you would expect, quickly evolving, and we will be ready.”
Police officers at Eastney Point, near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, following a protest after people thought to be migrants were brought into the harbour (PA)PA Wire
He added that the public should “not be nervous” about potential future protests, adding: “We do have this.”
A group of demonstrators gathered outside the Daily Mail’s offices on Wednesday, in protest at the newspaper’s coverage.
The group’s leader Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, had earlier accused newspapers of sharing his mother’s address online without her permission.
Mr Thomas – the founder of anti-migration group Patriot Platform and an associate of political activist Tommy Robinson – was a leader of the Portsmouth protest and organised the Dover demonstration.
Meanwhile, RNLI volunteers and staff have been warned not to wear the charity’s branding because of the “unacceptable abuse” they have faced from anti-migrant protesters.
The charity has issued security advice after the charity was targeted for its rescue work bringing some small boat migrants ashore.
Questioned on whether he had a message for those seeking to attend future protests, Mr Mariner told PA: “It’s a good thing that we have the right to peaceful protest, but where it crosses the line into criminality, we will deal with you.
“We will use every means at our disposal to make sure that there is a prosecution, if that’s the right thing, and you are dealt with.
“Go and protest, protest peacefully, protest lawfully, but expect a knock on the door if you breach the law.”
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