HOME Secretary Shabana Mahmood has urged cops to get tough on masked protesters ahead of a weekend of anti-migrant protests.
Ms Mahmood demanded police chiefs make “full use” of new powers allowing officers to ban face coverings at protests for up to 24 hours.
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She also wants forces to step up the use of facial recognition, CCTV, automatic number plate recognition and body-worn cameras to gather evidence.
It comes after scenes of disorder in Portsmouth and Dover, where hundreds of black-clad and masked protesters took to the streets over the migrant crisis.
The Home Secretary summoned police chiefs from across southern England to the Home Office on Thursday as forces brace for more demonstrations.
She demanded assurances that officers were “learning the lessons” from last weekend and would be able to respond “quickly and effectively”.
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Ms Mahmood said: “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.”
Hundreds of masked protesters blocked roads around the Port of Dover on Saturday, causing major disruption around Britain’s busiest ferry port.
The following day, demonstrators gathered in Portsmouth after 120 migrants rescued in the Channel were brought ashore by two RNLI lifeboats.
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The packed mega-dinghy endured the unprecedented “longest ever” crossing of the English Channel from Normandy before being rescued.
Its journey was double the length of the traditional small boat route from Calais to Dover.
And the departure point was more than 200 miles from the usual beach which dinghies leave from at Gravelines in France.
Fears are now growing the landmark crossing could mean the opening up of new routes across the South Coast.
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Reform MP Robert Jenrick repeated his party’s vow to use the Navy to stop the boats.
He fumed: “The invasion comes to Portsmouth.”
On the back of this, protesters attempted to prevent coaches carrying the migrants from leaving for processing.
Police officers were injured and vehicles damaged during the Portsmouth disorder which saw demonstrators allegedly hurl bricks at cops.
Investigations into potential assaults and criminal damage have since been launched.
Patriot Platform, led by Danny Tommo, took credit for the recent demonstrations.
Tommo has described the Dover protest as a “dummy run”, with further action expected to follow.
On the back of the chaotic scenes, RNLI volunteers have been warned not to wear charity-branded clothing following “unacceptable abuse” from anti-migrant protesters.
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Demonstrators sparked fury after branding lifeboat staff “traitors” for rescuing a boat carrying asylum seekers on Sunday night.
Cops guarded coaches parked near the marina as protesters blocked the flow of traffic and stopped RNLI teams from accessing the port.
And as the brave lifeboat crews returned to shore, they were branded “traitors” and met with abuse from the balaclava-clad crowd.
One shouted: “Look at these guys absolute traitors to this country. Look at the state of you.”
Following the sick abuse, the charity said it had taken action to ensure the “safety and wellbeing” of staff following the “unacceptable abuse”.
The Crime and Policing Act, passed this year, gives police the power to impose a 24-hour ban on face coverings at protests.
It follows Nottingham becoming the first UK city to enforce a ban on face coverings in September.
In a consultation on the issue, more than 2,200 people took part, and over 90 per cent supported the ban which later came into effect on September 15.
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Mr Farage has backed a ban on face coverings, describing them as “a menace” and “not the British way”.
Senior officers have now agreed an “enhanced and co-ordinated approach” to intelligence gathering and operational planning.
Andy Mariner, the National Police Chiefs’ Council lead for public order, said forces had “stepped up activity” nationally ahead of the weekend.
He said this included ensuring commanders were ready to use “every power at our disposal”, from arrests and dispersal orders to newer protest powers.
Mr Mariner said: “Our priority is to keep people safe, maintain public order and support the right to peaceful and lawful protest.
“While people are entitled to express their views, anyone committing criminal offences can and should expect police action.”
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The tougher approach follows questions over whether forces were adequately prepared for last weekend’s demonstrations.
Kent Police has acknowledged it failed to act on information received on Friday night about plans for the Dover protest the following morning.