The UK government on Monday, September 7, 2026, condemned the «intimidating and thuggish behavior» of demonstrators protesting the arrival of migrants who had crossed the English Channel. On Sunday evening, September 6, hundreds of masked protesters dressed in dark clothing confronted police in Portsmouth, attempting to prevent rescue boats from bringing migrants ashore. They subsequently tried to block buses transporting the new arrivals to an asylum processing center.
An official government statement noted: «The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but this right must never cross the line and descend into disorder.» A day earlier, on September 5, hundreds of masked anti-immigration protesters blocked roads leading to the British port of Dover. This caused traffic jams and obstructed travelers and freight transport heading to France.
Organizing protests and Channel migration
According to reports, both demonstrations were led by Daniel Thomas, an ally of prominent far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson. Successive British governments have attempted to stop dangerous English Channel crossings, which were undertaken by more than 40,000 people last year. Politicians, including Nigel Farage of the right-wing Reform UK party, have labeled the issue a crisis, and anti-immigration activists are using it to mobilize their supporters.
The government of Prime Minister Andy Burnham reports that, thanks to increased cooperation between British and French law enforcement agencies, the number of people crossing the channel this year has fallen by more than 40% compared to 2025.
The boat carrying approximately 140 people that arrived in Portsmouth departed on Sunday morning from Normandy, far to the west of the beaches near Calais, where most such departures occur. As a result, the route was significantly longer and more dangerous.
According to a spokesperson for the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, rescue boats, a coastguard helicopter, and an aircraft were involved in the operation to bring the migrants ashore.
Source: The Hindu
