The UK government strongly criticized the aggressive and intimidating actions of anti-immigrant protestors who gathered at a port in southern England where migrants arrived after crossing the English Channel. On Sunday night in Portsmouth, hundreds of demonstrators, many clad in dark attire and masks, confronted police to hinder lifeboats from disembarking migrants. They also attempted to obstruct buses transporting the newcomers to an asylum seeker processing center.
In response, the government emphasized the importance of peaceful protest in democracy while warning against disorder. The incident in Portsmouth followed a similar protest in Dover the day before, where masked anti-immigration protestors disrupted traffic heading to France from Britain’s busiest ferry port.
The groups in both protests were allegedly led by Daniel Thomas, a supporter of far-right figure Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson. The UK has been grappling with a surge in migrants crossing the English Channel, with more than 40,000 individuals making the perilous journey last year. Various politicians, including Nigel Farage of the Reform UK party, have labeled the situation a crisis, fueling anti-immigration sentiments.
The UK government, under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, credited enhanced law enforcement collaboration with France for reducing this year’s migrant crossings by over 40% compared to 2025. The boat carrying approximately 140 individuals to Portsmouth originated from Normandy, a considerable distance from the usual departure points near Calais, making it a more hazardous voyage. The Maritime and Coastguard Agency coordinated a rescue operation involving lifeboats, a coast guard helicopter, and a plane to bring the migrants ashore.
