Minister condemns anti-migrant protests in Portsmouth

British Treasury chief secretary Emma Reynolds condemned hundreds of anti-migrant protesters who blocked streets in Portsmouth late Sunday, saying their behaviour was “thuggish.” The gathering followed a disruption in Dover on Saturday, when masked men chanted “Stop the boats” to protest arrivals from France. Reynolds told Sky News that while the scale of the Portsmouth protest was unusual, police had brought it under control, adding that the speed of organisation raised “a concern.” Protesters reacted to the arrival of 140 migrants who had crossed to England, with arrivals in 2024 said to be about 43% lower than last year at roughly 17,000, though people smugglers are adjusting tactics.