Protesters scuffle with police as migrants brought ashore on south coast

On Sunday evening, around 150 demonstrators assembled in Gosport to oppose the arrival of people who crossed the Channel in a small craft and were ferried in by lifeboat volunteers.

The Home Office said 149 people were collected during a rescue in the middle of the Channel involving the RNLI working with a French boat. Officers formed a barrier on Haslar Road, and the gathering was largely calm.

Hampshire Police said officers were sent to assist partners if there was a maritime emergency. It applied Public Order Act restrictions and banned face coverings. Commissioner Donna Jones urged the Home Secretary to act so Border Force could move people at sea toward Dover.

Jones said on social media each demonstration costs £150,000 from her policing budget, money she could ill afford. Council leader Zoe Huggins said she felt "angry, frustrated and saddened", adding the town faced the situation again. Huggins argued Border Force should use larger vessels to intercept crossings and take arrivals directly to Dover for processing rather than using Gosport for initial reception.

Huggins added "That's just not on", saying the Home Office and Border Force must get control. A Home Office spokesperson declined to say why Gosport was selected, saying the department does not comment on "operational processes". Debris from wooden posts was left near Fort Blockhouse after the event.