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 and vowed to stay all night in the second major anti-migrant protest of the weekend. Video footage showed protesters facing up to police and shouting “stop the boats” on Sunday evening.
Far-right agitator Daniel Thomas, an associate of Tommy Robinson, was live-streaming from a beach in Eastney and encouraged his supporters: “Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here.”
He added: “It was only yesterday (at the protests in Dover) when we warned them that we will not accept this any more, and that this is no longer an option to tell us that the boat numbers are down.”
Many of those at Portsmouth were dressed in all black and wore face masks, similar to those who attended the Dover rally.
Police asked people to avoid the area and said a dispersal order was in place until Monday evening. A government spokesperson condemned the “intimidating and thuggish behaviour” of the demonstrators, saying: “The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder.
“We thank the emergency services who are working to safely manage the situation”.
Emergency services rushed to intercept the small boat on Sunday evening, with two RNLI lifeboats called out and a HM coastguard helicopter and plane also deployed.
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “In response to a report on 6 September of a small boat heading towards the Hampshire coast, HM Coastguard sent lifeboats, an HM Coastguard helicopter, an HM Coastguard aeroplane and HM Coastguard Rescue Teams.
“Border Force, Border Security Command, Hampshire Police and South Central Ambulance Service were also sent.”
Reform leader Nigel Farage claimed that the boat had launched from Baie de Seine, near Caen, saying: “Today a boat launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, arriving on the beaches of Hampshire for the very first time. This is a joke”.
The French maritime prefecture of the Channel and the North Sea said on Sunday that around 140 migrants had set out on a small boat from the west of the Baie de Seine overnight on Saturday. The departure was “unusual for the area”, with small boats usually launched from further up the French coast near Dunkirk.
The French maritime prefecture said on Sunday that the “migrant boat is currently continuing its journey towards the United Kingdom”, after people on board refused assistance.
Footage taken from the scene near Eastney showed a large emergency presence, and men wrapped in blankets were seen being taken ashore on RNLI boats.
Christine Martin, who was on a boat on the Eastney Cruising Association pontoon, told Portsmouth’s The News that she was unable to leave due to the incident. She said: “Being on my own in the boat, I am a little bit worried. The coastguard has been here sometime not letting anyone in or out. I just don’t know what to do.
“There have been lots of ambulances turning up. There is maybe 50 or 60 police and ambulance officers down near the Hayling Ferry pontoon.”
Conservative MP for MP for Isle of Wight East, Joe Robertson, posted on social media on Sunday: “Extremely concerning to see an illegal migrant crossing this far west.
“We don’t know if this migrant boat was headed for the Isle of Wight but I’ll be contacting the Home Office first thing. We need to know exactly what happened and if new routes are being used for mega-dinghies by people smugglers.”
A spokesperson for Hampshire Police said: “This evening, we have been working alongside and assisting our partners from Border Force, Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Portsmouth City Council at Eastney Marina following the arrival of a boat crossing the Channel.
“We have officers in the area to ensure the prevention of any disorder. We ask that people please avoid the area. A dispersal order is in place until tomorrow evening. Anyone who refuses to comply with the direction to leave the area is liable for arrest.
“We can also confirm that Border Force has advised us that individuals will be transported outside of Hampshire for processing in the normal way after they have been safely disembarked.”
A Home Office spokesperson said: “This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border. Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election.
“We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020.
“But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40 per cent more boots on the ground on French beaches.”
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