The government has condemned the “thuggish and intimidating behaviour” of far-right activists who blocked roads in Portsmouth. This occurred after a boat carrying asylum seekers arrived in the city, following similar incidents in Dover two days earlier.
Hundreds of men, some dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, attempted to stop the arrivals from being transported for processing until 3am. Police eventually removed them with threats of arrest, and a witness reported two police car windscreens were smashed.
Emma Reynolds, the chief secretary to the Treasury, stated that while she supports peaceful protest, the actions in Portsmouth “crossed the line.” A Home Office spokesperson also condemned the behaviour, confirming that all individuals from the boat had left the area for processing.
Daniel Thomas, identified as a far-right agitator, appeared to organise the crowd and was recorded telling them that Portsmouth was “now ground zero” for asylum seeker arrivals. Donna Jones, the Conservative police and crime commissioner for Hampshire, noted that Portsmouth lacks the infrastructure present in Dover for processing arrivals.