Six individuals have been arrested after anti-migrant protesters convened at a marina in Gosport, Hampshire, on Tuesday evening. The gathering occurred due to the mistaken belief that a small boat carrying asylum seekers was scheduled to arrive.
Hundreds of protesters responded to calls from far-right campaigner Daniel Thomas, aiming to disrupt any disembarkation. However, Border Force vessels carrying asylum seekers landed in Dover early on Wednesday.
Hampshire police stated that two men from Salisbury, aged 19 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. Additionally, four people from Gosport – two men aged 33 and 67, and two women aged 31 and 32 – were held on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. The 67-year-old man also faces suspicion of careless driving.
Police are conducting inquiries into footage reportedly showing Daniel Thomas slashing an inflatable boat while a rescue worker was onboard. The arrests follow discussions between unions representing Border Force staff and the Home Office regarding security concerns, prompted by increasingly aggressive tactics from anti-migrant activists.