Rival protests in Portsmouth as face masks banned

On Saturday, following disorder on 6 September, police attended Eastney Marina where hundreds of demonstrators blocked roads in an attempt to stop coaches carrying 120 migrants, who had crossed the Channel in a dinghy, from leaving the city. Up to 500 anti‑migrant protesters gathered outside All Saints Church on Commercial Road, waving Union and St George flags, with some wearing Portsmouth Patriot‑branded coverings, shortly before midday. The crowd chanted “stop the boats” as they marched to Guildhall Square. About 300 radicals joined the counter‑protest, and both groups were kept separate by police when they arrived at the square. Speaking before the march, Simon Magorian, of Stand up to Racism Portsmouth, described the demonstrations in Eastney as a 'horrible spectacle'. He said: "Portsmouth is really a bully functioning multi-cultural city." "We are present organising to person the broadest imaginable absorption to what we spot as a fascist thoroughfare question and we're not going to let them to get a grip connected Portsmouth oregon immoderate different municipality - this is rather terrifying." Among the anti‑migration protesters, Pete Davies, from Portsmouth, said he had also taken part in the demonstrations at Eastney. "They should beryllium having them turned backmost to France again. It's a harmless country, there's nary warfare in France." "They privation to halt the benefits, halt the escaped housing... they don't springiness thing backmost to the radical of the country." Officers earlier said the powers were aimed at preventing violence, intimidation and upset following protests in the city over the past week. A separate order also allowed officers to require individuals to remove masks and other items used to conceal their identity. Speaking on Friday, Assistant Chief Constable Paul Bartolomeo said: "It is important to accent that this powerfulness will use to immoderate groups that be the protestation and will be enforced as and impartially." "Let me be clear, these powers are not being implemented to prevent protest but they are being used to help prevent transgression and disorder, making communities feel safer." Hampshire Police said several of its vehicles, alongside those of the coastguard and Border Force, were damaged during the disruption, which lasted until the early hours of Monday. It added that a small number of officers were treated at the scene for injuries but no‑one in attendance was seriously injured. RNLI volunteers involved in the operation to bring the migrants ashore were also targeted on social media. The disturbance in Portsmouth followed a separate anti‑migrant protest at the Port of Dover the day before.