Anti-Migrant Protests Disrupt Ports in Dover and Portsmouth
13 sources across 9 countries
Who reported this
- The Guardian
- The Independent
- BBC News
- Reuters
- Sky News
- Infobae
- CNN Brasil
- Deutsche Welle
- South China Morning Post
- Tempo English
- Corriere della Sera
- NRC
- CNN
What the colours mean
- Left
- Centre-left
- Centre
- Centre-right
- Right
- A hatched block means the outlet is affiliated with, or controlled by, a state.
Political lean describes where an outlet sits within the politics of its own country. It is never a position on a single global scale.
Political lean is comparable inside one country and not across them, which is why the bar groups by country first. Publicly funded broadcasters are not marked as state-linked.
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Hundreds of protesters blocked roads and clashed with police in the English coastal cities of Dover and Portsmouth over the weekend. In Portsmouth on Sunday, demonstrators attempted to block the arrival and transport of approximately 140 migrants who had crossed the English Channel from France. The Portsmouth event followed a Saturday protest in Dover where masked individuals blocked traffic near the ferry port. The British government condemned the behavior in both cities as thuggish and intimidating, while emphasizing that the right to peaceful protest must not cross into disorder.
Police in Portsmouth reported that several officers were injured and multiple vehicles from the police, Coastguard, and Border Force were damaged. While some reports indicate no arrests were made immediately, other accounts state that police performed arrests during the clashes. The protests were largely attributed to Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, and his group called Patriot Platform. Thomas, a former associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson, has a criminal record for attempted kidnapping. He used social media and livestreams to mobilize supporters, describing the Dover event as a dummy run for the Portsmouth action.
Government officials noted that small boat arrivals have decreased by approximately 40 percent compared to the previous year. However, officials expressed concern that the arrival in Portsmouth represents a shift in smuggling routes. The boat in question reportedly departed from the Baie de Seine in Normandy, a location unusual for such crossings.
Political reactions varied based on ideological leanings. Center-left sources focused on the far-right nature of the agitators and the danger of vigilantism. Center-right sources highlighted the legitimacy of public anger regarding immigration while generally condemning the use of masks and violence. Center sources focused on the logistical disruption and the specific background of the organizers.
How each side framed it
- Centre-left
- These outlets emphasized the far-right ideology of the protesters and framed the events as a rise in dangerous vigilantism.
- Centre
- These outlets focused on the factual sequence of events, the background of Daniel Thomas, and the government's official response.
- Centre-right
- These outlets highlighted the underlying public frustration with immigration and the potential failure of border security.
Sources
- Centre BBC News: What we know about anti-migrant protests and organiser Danny Thomas
- Centre-left CNN: Why are far-right masked men protesting at British ports?
- Centre CNN Brasil: Protest blocks port after arrival of immigrants in the United Kingdom
- Centre-right Corriere della Sera: England, anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth: police arrest protesters
- Centre-right Corriere della Sera: England, after Dover another case in Portsmouth: hundreds of right-wing extremists block the arrival of migrants at the port
- Centre Deutsche Welle: UK government condemns 'thuggish' anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth
- Centre-right Infobae: Injuries to officers and damage to patrol cars reported in far right protests in Portsmouth
- Centre NRC: Hundreds of extreme right activists attempt to stop 140 asylum seekers in British port
- Centre Reuters: UK minister condemns anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth - Reuters
- Centre Sky News: Officers injured and vehicles damaged during anti-migrant protest - as police hunt suspects
- Centre-right South China Morning Post: UK minister slams ‘thuggish’ anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth
- Centre-left Tempo English: UK Government Condemns Anti-Migrant Protests
- Centre-left The Guardian: Ministers condemn ‘thuggish’ far-right activists after Portsmouth unrest
- Centre-left The Independent: UK politics live: Police hunt far-right activists in Portsmouth after officers injured and cars damaged in protest
- Centre-left The Independent: Hundreds of demonstrators in standoff against police in Portsmouth after small boat migrants brought ashore
93% of the statements in this article were traced back to the source articles listed above.