Key facts
- Six people were arrested after an anti-migrant protest at a marina in Gosport, Hampshire.
- Protesters gathered believing asylum seekers would arrive, but the vessels landed in Dover.
- Far-right campaigner Daniel Thomas broadcast his pursuit of asylum seekers in the Channel.
- Thomas is facing a police inquiry for slashing an inflatable dinghy during a rescue.
- Two men were arrested for aggravated trespass, and four for assaulting an emergency worker.
- The Home Office plans to use public order powers to stop harassment of government staff.
Six people were arrested after hundreds of anti-migrant protesters gathered at a marina in Gosport, Hampshire, on Tuesday evening, mistakenly believing a small boat carrying asylum seekers was due to arrive. The protest was called by far-right campaigner Daniel Thomas, who broadcast his pursuit of the asylum seekers in the Channel to a large online audience.
Hampshire police stated that two men from Salisbury, aged 19 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass. Four individuals from Gosport – two men aged 33 and 67, and two women aged 31 and 32 – were detained on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker. The 67-year-old man was also arrested for careless driving.
Authorities are investigating footage of Thomas slashing the side of an inflatable boat while a rescue worker was onboard. The Border Force vessels carrying the asylum seekers ultimately landed in Dover, Kent, early on Wednesday morning, with 51 people on board reportedly having refused assistance from a French ship and spent 33 hours at sea.
Discussions between unions representing Border Force staff and the Home Office highlighted security concerns due to increasingly aggressive tactics by anti-migrant activists, including attacks on vehicles and attempts to identify staff. The Home Office is considering using public order powers to prevent harassment and doxxing of government personnel involved in rescuing small-boat arrivals.
Lucy Moreton of the Immigration Services Union confirmed that the Home Office is collaborating with local police and the Ministry of Defence to enhance staff and migrant protection. Fran Heathcote, general secretary of the PCS union, condemned the "life-threatening and criminal behaviour" of the protesters.
A Home Office spokesperson emphasized that groups creating fear and intimidating communities would not be allowed to operate with impunity and that police should use available powers to address criminality. The spokesperson also noted the need to adapt responses to new tactics.
In separate incidents, a second small boat arrived undetected near Dover on Tuesday afternoon, leading to the detention of 21 migrants. On Monday, five people were detained after a dinghy reached shore at Folkestone.
Defence minister Luke Pollard asserted that the UK's borders are secure but require strengthening, and a Home Office investigation into the incidents is underway. French authorities also reported the discovery of a man's body on a beach in northern France.