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Demonstrators descend on Portsmouth after small boat migrants brought to shore
Confirmed
In Short: Hundreds of demonstrators descended on Portsmouth to protest the arrival of migrants in small boats, clashing with those brought to shore.
Protesters gathered in Portsmouth on Sunday as a small boat carrying asylum seekers arrived, sparking a major response from authorities. According to reports, around 500 demonstrators, some dressed in all black, descended on the area to protest the arrival of migrants. The boat, which launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, made its first landing on the beaches of Hampshire. French authorities estimated up to 140 illegal immigrants were on board the vessel. Border Force, Border Security Command, Hampshire Police, and South Central Ambulance Service were dispatched to the scene. Cllr George Madgwick, leader of Reform UK in Hampshire, reported that over 100 migrant men had arrived on the Portsmouth shores.
Protesters faced off against police, with video footage showing them shouting 'stop the boats' on Sunday evening. Daniel Thomas, or 'Tommo' of the Patriot Platform, encouraged viewers to join the protest. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has agreed a deal with France's National Rally (RN) party on returning migrants who attempt to cross the English Channel in small boats, should both parties win power. The "memorandum of understanding" could be developed into a legal agreement between the two governments if both win power. The protest in Portsmouth is part of a larger effort by Reform UK to intercept boats and return migrants to French ports using the Royal Navy.
What's confirmed
- Only Reform will send the boats back." Around 500 demonstrators are believed to have joined a protest in the area, with some dressed in all black Meanwhile, the party’s economic spokesman Robert Jenrick posted: “The invasion comes to Portsmouth.
- Videos circulating on social media show groups of people being taken on lifeboats to shore near the Eastney Landing ferry port, where several coaches are parked.
- Reform will end this humiliation.” “We don’t know if this migrant boat was headed for the Isle of Wight but I’ll be contacting the Home Office first thing.
- The dinghy, reported to be carrying some 140 migrants, sparked a major response as it headed towards the coast, with a helicopter, aeroplane and lifeboats sent to the scene.
What's still developing
- Challenged during a news conference over whether the wording "ordinarily" meant some migrants would not be accepted by France, Farage said it was "legalese".
- Farage said the "historic document" would "stop the boats forever".
- Last year Sir Keir Starmer's government also signed a "one in, one out deal", which allows the UK to send some small boat-arrivals back to France, while agreeing to take the same number of people from France believed to have a legitimate claim to come to the UK.
- "France will ordinarily accept these persons, who will be repatriated to their home country in accordance with the law in force in France concerning expulsion." Illegal migrants who successfully arrive in the UK from France would be immediately detained and deported to their home country, rather than to France, under plans previously outlined by Reform.
- The boat launched earlier today, where occupants have been brought to shore to be processed, with videos on social media showing groups being taken on lifeboats to land where several coaches are parked.
- GB News can confirm the vessel to be among six migrant dinghies launched today, with three boats making it to UK waters by the afternoon.
- The boat’s occupants have been brought to shore in the maritime city, where it is understood they will be processed as is routine for small boat arrivals in the area, at a facility in Manston.
- In the livestream, Tommo can be seen standing in the sea at the Eastney shingle beach, alongside a small group of other protesters, with police officers looking on.