UK Minister Slams Anti-Migrant Protests as Demonstrators Block Streets in Portsmouth

British Treasury Chief Secretary Emma Reynolds has strongly condemned anti-migrant protests that disrupted traffic in the coastal city of Portsmouth, describing the actions of demonstrators as “thuggish” and intimidating amid growing tensions over migrant arrivals from France.

Hundreds of protesters gathered in Portsmouth late Sunday in an attempt to block the arrival of migrants who had crossed the English Channel. The demonstration marked the second major anti-migrant protest in as many days, following a similar incident in Dover on Saturday, where masked protesters halted traffic while chanting “Stop the boats,” a slogan associated with calls to prevent asylum seekers from reaching Britain by sea.

Speaking to Sky News, Reynolds acknowledged that the scale of the Portsmouth protest was larger than previous demonstrations but said police had managed to bring the situation under control.

“Perhaps the scale of the protest was something that we hadn’t seen before, but the police have brought this under control,” she said

According to reports, the Portsmouth protest was triggered by the arrival of approximately 140 migrants who had crossed from France to England. The gathering was reportedly organized in response to calls from some far-right groups and attracted hundreds of participants.

Reynolds sharply criticized the behavior of demonstrators, describing it as unacceptable and expressing concern over how quickly the protests appeared to have been mobilized.

“This is thuggish and intimidating behaviour,” she said, adding that the speed with which the demonstrations were organized was also a matter of concern for authorities.

The protests come as the UK continues to grapple with the long-running challenge of irregular migration across the English Channel. Successive British governments have struggled to curb the flow of asylum seekers arriving in often overcrowded and inflatable boats from northern France.

Despite the ongoing political and public debate over migration, Reynolds said the latest figures showed progress in reducing crossings. According to her, migrant arrivals have fallen by 43 percent compared with the previous year, bringing the number of arrivals to around 17,00
The renewed demonstrations highlight the continuing political sensitivity surrounding immigration policy in the UK, as authorities seek to balance border security, asylum obligations and public concerns over illegal crossings.