No arrests yet made as investigation launched

Police officers were injured during tensions with protesters following the arrival of a boat with migrants on board at Eastney on Sunday evening.

Riot police with shields were forced to protect coaches after it is believed the dingy carrying around 140 migrants made one of the longest journeys of any small boat before arriving in Portsmouth.

The aftermath at the RNLI in Ferry Road, Eastney, Portsmouth, on Monday, September 7, 2026, after hundreds of protestors descended on Portsmouth vowing to prevent 140 migrants who arrived in a small boat stepping onto dry land.

Picture: Sarah Standing (070926-6942) — The aftermath at the RNLI in Ferry Road, Eastney, Portsmouth, on Monday, September 7, 2026, after hundreds of protestors descended on Portsmouth vowing to prevent 140 migrants who arrived in a small boat stepping onto dry land. Picture: Sarah Standing (070926-6942) | Iconic Resell

placeholder image — The aftermath at the RNLI in Ferry Road, Eastney, Portsmouth, on Monday, September 7, 2026, after hundreds of protestors descended on Portsmouth vowing to prevent 140 migrants who arrived in a small boat stepping onto dry land. Picture: Sarah Standing (070926-6942) | Iconic Resell

Masked demonstrators blocked the road leading away from the RNLI Portsmouth Lifeboat Station at Eastney Marina, with photos showing police carrying riot shields forming a line and protecting a number of coaches that were parked up.

Protesters said they were determined to prevent authorities from transporting the migrants away. Livestreaming while standing in the sea at Eastney beach, Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo – an associate of right-wing activist Tommy Robinson – said: “Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here.”

He said: “It was only yesterday (at the protests in Dover) when we warned them that we will not accept this any more, and that this is no longer an option to tell us that the boat numbers are down.

“This isn’t about the numbers being down… this is about understanding that this has to come to an end now.”

Around 140 migrants arrive in Portsmouth after being transferred from a single dingy south of the Isle of Wight in the English Channel by two RNLI lifeboats | Paul Jacobs

Hampshire police has now said officers worked alongside partners from Border Force, Maritime & Coastguard Agency and Portsmouth City Council. A spokesperson said: “Our officers were deployed to the area to ensure the safety of the public and to prevent disorder.

“The crowd of approximately 200 people dispersed at around 4am this morning. A number of police, Coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged during the evening. A small number of officers were treated at the scene for injuries, but no-one in attendance from any agency or the public was seriously injured.

“Violence and criminal damage have no part in peaceful protest. No arrests have been made at this time, however an investigation to identify offenders responsible for any assaults to officers, criminal damage to vehicles, or other criminal offences has been launched.”

Police officers at the scene near Eastney Beach, Portsmouth, where hundreds of protesters gathered on Sunday after a small boat containing asylum seekers arrived | Jamie Lashmar/PA Wire

The spokesperson added: “We can also confirm that Border Force has advised us that individuals from the boat have been transported outside of Hampshire for processing as part of the normal process after they were safely disembarked.”