Protesters Scuffle With Police as Migrants Brought Ashore in Gosport

Police and protesters clashed during a tense demonstration in Gosport after 149 migrants rescued from the English Channel were brought ashore by the RNLI.

Around 150 anti-migrant demonstrators gathered near the marina on Sunday evening in an attempt to prevent the migrants from being brought into the south coast town. Flares were set off and several scuffles took place as the stand-off continued into the early hours of Monday.

The migrants had been picked up during a mid-Channel rescue operation involving an RNLI vessel and a French vessel before being brought to Gosport. They were later taken by coach to a processing centre in Kent.

Police cordon put in place

A police cordon was established along Haslar Road as officers dealt with the demonstration.

While most of the protest remained peaceful, some demonstrators stood in front of police vans to prevent them from moving forward. Chants including "shame on you" and "deport the lot" were heard during the protest.

Hampshire Police said officers had been deployed to support partner agencies following the emergency at sea.

The force also introduced conditions under the Public Order Act and used powers relating to the wearing of face coverings.

Police commissioner calls for Home Office action

Hampshire's Police and Crime Commissioner Donna Jones called for the Home Secretary to intervene, arguing that Border Force should have the vessels and capacity needed to transfer people rescued in the Channel directly to Dover.

Jones said coastal locations such as Gosport should not become regular landing points because local police do not have the resources to deal with the resulting demonstrations.

She also claimed each protest was costing around £150,000 from the police budget, reducing the resources available for policing elsewhere in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight.

Local council leader criticises response

Zoe Huggins, Conservative leader of Gosport Borough Council, said she was "angry, frustrated and saddened" that the town had again found itself dealing with the issue.

She said a small number of protesters had left debris and barricades on roads, while nails and wooden posts were also reported in the area. Small fires were also said to have been started.

Huggins called for Border Force to use larger vessels to intercept people at sea and take them directly to Dover for processing.

She also criticised what she described as a lack of communication from the Home Office, saying emails sent by the council on Sunday had not received a response.

Home Office defends border operation

The Home Office declined to explain why Gosport was used on this occasion, saying it did not comment on operational processes.

A spokesperson said the Border Security Command works continuously to monitor the Channel and protect the UK's border.

The department said it was vital that every small boat arrival continued to be detained, checked and processed.

The migrants were brought ashore following a rescue operation in the Channel rather than arriving directly at Gosport in their original boat.

Channel crossings remain a major political issue

Ship-tracking data indicated the migrant dinghy had set off from near Utah Beach in Normandy on Sunday morning.

The crossing was reportedly the third recorded in a month. Government figures cited in the reporting show that 19,451 people had crossed the English Channel in small boats so far this year.

That figure was 43% lower than at the same point last year and 23% lower than the corresponding figure in 2024.

The latest incident follows a similar confrontation in Portsmouth last month, when more than 100 migrants were brought ashore at Eastney and protesters clashed with police.

A group of 51 migrants involved in that incident were ultimately transferred to Dover by sea.

The Gosport operation has renewed calls from local politicians for the Government to change how rescued Channel migrants are transferred and processed, while police continue to manage the demonstrations and maintain public order.

The wider issue of small boat crossings remains a major political and policing challenge along the south coast.