Hampshire Police seek six men after anti-migrant disorder at Portsmouth marina
Hampshire Police have released images of six men wanted for questioning over violent disorder at Eastney Marina on 6 September. Seven officers were injured during the protest.
Six men sought after Portsmouth marina protest turns violent
Hampshire Police have released images of six men they wish to question in connection with an anti-migrant demonstration at Eastney Marina in Portsmouth, BBC News reports.
Officers attended the marina on 6 September after hundreds of demonstrators blocked roads in an attempt to stop coaches carrying 120 migrants from leaving the city. The migrants had crossed the Channel by dinghy and were being transferred onward when protesters intervened.
Several police, coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged during the evening. Seven officers required treatment at the scene for injuries, though none of those present suffered serious harm.
Assistant Chief Constable Tony Rowlinson urged anyone who recognised the men in the released images to come forward. "The reality of public order policing is that arrests at the time are not always possible, especially where evidence may need to be reviewed to clearly identify who is responsible for offences," Rowlinson said.
The force said it had reviewed "hundreds of hours' worth" of footage as part of its investigation. Rowlinson added that the actions taken "send a clear warning to anyone intent on causing disruption and disorder at any future events."
A 42-year-old man from Paulsgrove was charged on Friday with violent disorder and assaulting a police officer in connection with the incident and has been remanded into custody. A 16-year-old boy, arrested on Saturday in connection with the disorder, has been released on bail pending further enquiries.
Around 500 anti-migrant protesters took to the streets of Portsmouth and were met by hundreds of counter-protesters from Stand Up to Racism. The government condemned what it described as "intimidating and thuggish behaviour" at the demonstration, while reaffirming the right to peaceful protest.
Migrants intercepted in the Channel are typically taken to Dover for initial processing. In this case, however, the dinghy had departed from near Cherbourg in the Bay of the Seine — approximately 170 miles west of Calais and considerably further west than the usual crossing points. Transporting those on board to Dover would have added another four to five hours to a journey that had already lasted around ten hours and would have required lifeboats to operate outside their normal patrol area for an extended period.
Border Force and the coastguard instead brought the group ashore at Eastney Landing, with lifeboats from Bembridge and Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight assisting the operation.
Migration analysts have noted that people smugglers may be testing new departure points to avoid a heavy police presence concentrated around Calais and Dunkirk.
RNLI crew members who took part in the rescue operation were subsequently targeted by some protesters, who shared their photographs and names on social media with posts accusing them of treason.
Source: BBC News