Police deploy batons and pepper spray as far-right unrest hits Portsmouth

Britain saw two violent anti-migrant demonstrations over the weekend that required police to use physical force to regain control. In Portsmouth on Sunday evening, around 200 masked activists dressed in black clashed with officers after a dinghy carrying roughly 120 asylum seekers arrived from Normandy.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight police confirmed they issued a dispersal notice and were compelled to use batons and synthetic pepper spray against aggressive crowds. Several officers were injured, including one recent recruit who had finished training only three days earlier. An investigation into possible assaults and criminal damage is now under way.

Daniel Thomas, a far-right figure with close ties to Tommy Robinson, is said to have organised the Portsmouth protest. He was also linked to disorder in Dover the previous day, where demonstrators blocked access to the port for several hours. Home Office minister Sarah Jones condemned the organisers for promoting "racism and thuggery" and said the government would learn lessons from the unrest.

Opposition MPs criticised police for appearing unprepared in both cities, questioning why intelligence had not flagged the planned actions in advance. Hampshire's police and crime commissioner, Donna Jones, warned that England's south coast is not equipped to handle a rise in migrant arrivals if smugglers begin using new routes further west along the French coast.

Authorities are now considering a ban on face coverings at future demonstrations. Social media posts indicate a new protest is planned for Saturday by a group calling itself Portsmouth Patriots. Home Office figures show eight boats carrying 625 people crossed the Channel to the UK on Sunday alone.