Police seek to identify protesters behind Portsmouth anti-migrant disorder

Police are seeking to identify protesters after several officers were injured and vehicles damaged in Portsmouth at a demonstration sparked by the arrival of 120 migrants in a single dinghy.

Policing Minister Sarah Jones told the House of Commons the disorder on Sunday night was "intimidating and thuggish" and warned "those who cross into illegality" would "face the full force of the law".

The protests followed a large group of masked men holding a demonstration over small-boat crossings at the Port of Dover on Saturday, causing major disruption.

Portsmouth City Council said the Home Office had "serious questions to answer" over the decision to bring the migrants, who had crossed the English Channel from France, to shore in the area.

What we know about anti-migrant protests and organiser Danny Thomas

Watch: Anti-migrant protesters block roads in Portsmouth

Council leader Steve Pitt said the decision had caused "needless disruption".

Around 200 people, some wearing masks, confronted police in riot gear after they descended on the Eastney Landing ferry port area, where the migrants were landed.

Police protected a number of coaches parked on a road leading away from Eastney Marina as protesters blocked traffic. A dispersal order was put in place, meaning anyone failing to comply with police could be arrested.

In a statement, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said a handful of officers were treated at the scene for injuries, none of which were serious.

It said: "Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest.

"No arrests have been made at this time, however an investigation to identify offenders responsible for any assaults to officers, criminal damage to vehicles or other criminal offences has been launched."

Spencer Wragg, chair of Hampshire Police Federation, said: "I've seen footage of officers being pushed off their motorbikes, I've seen pictures of police vehicles damaged. It appears that the police last night became the target for some of the protest."

Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo - an associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson - was livestreaming from the scene - where he called for his supporters to "get down to Eastney" and stop the migrants being transported.

The coaches carrying the migrants were able to leave in the early hours of Monday and the Border Force confirmed "individuals from the boat have been transported outside of Hampshire for processing".

Footage shared online appeared to show protesters following the convoy of coaches along a motorway after it had left.

Protesters said they were trying to stop authorities transporting the migrants to the Manston processing centre in Kent.

In a statement to the House of Commons on Monday, the policing minister said: "Peaceful protest is a fundamental part of our democracy and it must be defended But so too is the right of other citizens to go about their lives without undue interference – and there can be no excuse for threatening behavior or serious disruption.

Sarah Jones added: "Let me therefore make clear to the House and to the country that disorder of any kind will never be tolerated and those who cross the line from peaceful protest into illegality will face the full force of the law."

Responding, shadow home secretary Chris Philp condemned the violence in Portsmouth but added: "This should also be a wake-up call for the government because it's not just those protesters in Dover and Portsmouth who feel so angry about large-scale illegal immigration.

"It is millions and millions of people up and down this country who feel angry as well."

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the country is on the edge of "serious civil disturbance" and called on protests to remain peaceful.

In a video posted to social media, he said: "Peaceful protest: good. Uniforms and masks: bad. Voting is the only way we get a solution."

Some 625 migrants on eight boats were brought to shore at Dover and Portsmouth On Sunday, according to Home Office figures.

A total of 16,513 people arrived in the UK in small boats in the year to 1 September - which is 43% lower than the same period the previous year.

UK net migration has meanwhile dropped to its lowest level outside of the Covid pandemic since 2012.

This weekend's disruption comes just days after Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron met to discuss how to "scale up" efforts to reduce small boat crossings.

But while the number of boat crossings over summer months has dropped to its lowest since 2019, smugglers appear to have started loading more people onto fewer, larger vessels dubbed "mega dinghies".

In August, a single small boat carrying a record 230 people successfully crossed the Channel.

It is thought the people smugglers organising the crossings have been forced to go to much greater lengths to avoid detection following more robust policing in the Calais area.

Channel smuggling gangs resort to 'mega-dinghies' as crackdown limits small boat supply