UK Government Condemns 'Intimidating and Thuggish' Anti-Migrant Protests in Portsmouth and Dover

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September 7, 2026

The British government has condemned a weekend of anti-migrant protests in southern England, calling the actions of demonstrators "intimidating and thuggish" after hundreds of people took to the streets in Portsmouth and Dover to block the transport of asylum seekers .

The unrest began on Saturday when large crowds of men dressed in black and wearing face coverings brought the Port of Dover to a standstill, blocking traffic and causing hours of disruption for ferry operators and travellers . Chants of "stop the boats" were heard among the crowd as protesters disrupted access to the UK's busiest international ferry port .

The second and more intense protest erupted Sunday night in Portsmouth, after a single dinghy carrying approximately 140 migrants was brought to shore in the Hampshire city . The landing marked an unusual event, as small boats typically arrive on the coast of Kent, much further east . The vessel had launched from the Baie de Seine in Normandy and was shadowed by French rescue boats for around 10 hours before being met by UK lifeboats and taken to Portsmouth — a decision made because the migrants had already been at sea for a considerable time .

Police carrying riot shields faced off with hundreds of protesters who blocked roads in an effort to prevent the migrants from being transported to the Manston processing centre in Kent . A dispersal order was put in place by Hampshire Police, with authorities warning that anyone failing to leave the area could be arrested . The crowd eventually dispersed in the early hours of Monday morning .

Government Response

In a statement issued early Monday, a Home Office spokesperson condemned the protests, saying: "We condemn the intimidating and thuggish behaviour we saw in Portsmouth last night. The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder" .

The government emphasized that while it understands public concern over small boat crossings, citizens cannot take the law into their own hands. Treasury Secretary Emma Reynolds echoed the sentiment, stating that the protesters' behaviour "crosses a line" . Prime Minister Andy Burnham also addressed the unrest, urging his Labour Party colleagues to stop the "politics of poison seeping into our streets" during a closed-door meeting with parliamentarians .

Political Reactions

The protests drew criticism from across the political spectrum. Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East, Joe Robertson, described the arrival of migrants so far west as "extremely concerning" and said he would contact the Home Office to determine if people smugglers are experimenting with new, longer routes .

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage used the events to criticize the government's approach, posting on social media: "This week Andy Burnham struck an agreement for 45 more officers on French beaches... This is a joke. Only Reform will send the boats back" . However, Reform UK's economic spokesman Robert Jenrick distanced his party from the tactics used by protesters, stating: "I don't like people going around in balaclavas, which is obviously very intimidating. In fact, our party's policy is to ban face coverings like that" .

A New Route and a Growing Challenge

The Portsmouth landing is notable because the journey from the Bay of the Seine is significantly longer — around 170 miles — than the typical Calais-to-Dover crossing . Migration analysts suggest that smugglers may be experimenting with new routes to avoid increased French police presence along the northern coast . The longer voyage is more perilous and raises concerns about further risks to life at sea .

The protests come as the government insists it is making progress on reducing small boat crossings. According to Home Office data, crossings have fallen by more than 40% this year, and a total of 16,513 migrants have arrived via small boats since the beginning of 2026 . The government has also announced the deployment of 45 additional officers to French beaches as part of a payment-by-results deal to disrupt smuggling operations .

Community Impact

Local residents in Portsmouth expressed unease at the scenes. Kelly Pickard, a Portsmouth resident who witnessed the RNLI bringing the migrants ashore, described the situation as "incredibly unsettling" and said the aggressive views expressed by some protesters left her feeling "genuinely unsettled" about raising her child in the city .

The protests have also raised questions about police preparedness. Dover District Council leader Kevin Mills claimed that police were slow to react to what he described as an "exceptionally well organised" protest, while government officials have defended the police response .

The Home Office has confirmed that no further Channel crossings are expected in the immediate future due to worsening weather conditions . The next hearing regarding the legal status of the 140 migrants who arrived in Portsmouth is yet to be scheduled, as the government continues to face pressure over border security and public order.