Hundreds of men, some wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in Portsmouth to prevent the transfer of asylum seekers who had arrived by boat. Downing Street condemned the behavior as "thuggish and intimidating," two days after similar scenes in Dover.
The British government has strongly condemned the actions of far-right activists who caused a disturbance in Portsmouth upon the arrival of a boat carrying asylum seekers. Downing Street described their behavior as "thuggish and intimidating."
Several hundred men, some dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, attempted to block roads to prevent arrivals from being taken to the asylum processing centers. The blockade lasted until 3:00 a.m., at which time police dispersed the protesters under threat of arrest.
These incidents occurred two days after similar scenes in Dover, where like-minded groups also sought to obstruct the work of authorities responsible for receiving migrants. The repetition of these actions within forty-eight hours underscores the rising tensions surrounding migration in the UK.
