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Police clash with far-right protesters in Portsmouth
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The gist
Hundreds of far-right protesters clashed with riot police in Portsmouth after a boat carrying 140 asylum seekers was intercepted. The violence signals escalating anti-migrant unrest across UK ports.
Background
The protest occurred after a small boat carrying 140 asylum seekers was intercepted off the coast of Portsmouth, a change from the usual Dover route. It followed a similar demonstration in Dover less than 48 hours earlier, where masked men disrupted traffic. The UK government condemned the protests as 'thuggish' and 'intimidating', while police are investigating attacks on officers.
How it unfolded
- Sep 5, 2026Masked men block roads in Dover, halting ferry traffic, in an anti-migrant protest.
- Sep 6, 2026A small boat with 140 asylum seekers is intercepted off Portsmouth. Hundreds of far-right protesters gather, block roads, and clash with police, throwing items and attacking vehicles.
- Sep 7, 2026UK minister Emma Reynolds condemns the protest as 'thuggish'; police hunt for those who attacked officers. Anti-racism campaigners call it a 'wake-up call'.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Government spokesperson: 'The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder.'
- Minister
- Emma Reynolds: 'This is thuggish and intimidating behaviour.'
- Expert
- Lord Walney: Politicians who excuse extreme protestors risk fanning a wave of unrest across the UK.
- Public
- Anti-racism campaigners say the violence is a 'wake-up call' amid fears of further disorder.
Still unverified
Whether Daniel Thomas led the protests is disputed.