Protests · updated 1h ago · 2 min read
Hampshire Police Arrest 12 After Anti-Migrant Protest Clashes Near Haslar Marina in Gosport
Twelve people arrested in Gosport over anti-migrant protest after migrant dinghy arrival. About 149 migrants were brought ashore earlier, then transported for processing.
Whether restrictions are effectively a lockdown.
3 of 4 outlets skipped it: section 34 order and dispersal specifics were emphasised.
The Independent was read line by line by the Watchdog: 1.3. See the score →
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Hungarian Conservative
“British police imposedsweeping lockdown-style restrictionsacross the coastal town of Gosport”Read the original ↗
BBC
“A police cordon was in place on Haslar Road in Gosport, where the atmosphere at the protest mostly remained peaceful”Read the original ↗
Hungarian Conservative frames Gosport restrictions as a ‘lockdown’, while BBC and Standard rely on police terms like violent disorder and ‘mostly peaceful’.
Gosport protest and arrests
Around 350 anti-migrant demonstrators gathered near Haslar Marina in Gosport, Hampshire, after the Home Office said 149 migrants were picked up in a mid-Channel rescue operation by the RNLI alongside a French vessel and brought ashore. Police imposed conditions under the Public Order Act and powers prohibiting the wearing of face coverings as flares were set off and scuffles broke out during the stand-off. Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds said, "Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest," as Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said it would investigate thoroughly and take robust action.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said 12 people were arrested, with the Home Office reporting that 11 men and one woman were held on suspicion of offences including assaulting police officers, affray and racially aggravated public order. The Home Office said the migrants were taken by coach to a processing centre in Kent after the RNLI landings at Gosport.
Police response and online threats
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said a police cordon was in place on Haslar Road in Gosport, and the atmosphere at the protest mostly remained peaceful. Simon Dodds said officers "did not deserve to be assaulted" as they worked to ensure the safety of everyone in the area, and he said partner agencies also should not be singled out online. A 36-year-old man from Bognor Regis was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction and failing to comply with the conditions of a dispersal order.
A 29-year-old man from Portsmouth was arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction, while a 22-year-old man from Gosport was arrested on suspicion of affray and racially aggravated public order. Hampshire Police would continue to review body-worn video footage and videos posted online to identify any further offences and may make further arrests.
Channel crossings and processing
The Home Office spokesperson refused to explain why Gosport had been chosen, saying they do not comment on "operational processes" while the Border Security Command monitored the Channel. The Home Office spokesperson said it was "vital we continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival" as the BBC described the incident as the third crossing in a month. BSo far this year 19,451 people are recorded as having crossed the Channel in small boats, and it was described as 43% lower than this time last year and 23% below the figure at this stage in 2024.
Last month more than 100 migrants landed at Eastney, in Portsmouth, leading to more scuffles between police and demonstrators, and it said the 51 migrants were ultimately taken to Dover by sea. The Home Office said 149 migrants were believed to be on board and that migrants would be transported to short term holding facilities in Kent where they would be processed as normal and undergo stringent health, security and biometric checks.