Portsmouth Guildhall protests: Anti-immigration and anti-racism protestors make their voices heard - in pictures

A unity rally, led by Stand Up To Racism Portsmouth, was called as a counter-protest to one arranged by the UK Independence Party which was calling for a mass-deportations of migrants. Hundreds of people attended the protest on both side respectively.

There was a tense atmosphere and occasions where the two sides came close to clashing with the police struggling to keep them apart. However, the police confirmed that were no arrests.

Leader of Portsmouth City Council, Steve Pitt, addressed the Unity Rally while the UKIP leader, Nick Tenconi, was in attendance for the mass-deportation protest.

Mark Sage, of Stand Up To Racism Portsmouth, was heartened by the turn out. He said: “Over 300 people took to the streets of Portsmouth today to protest against a march by Nick Tenconi. The Unity Rally called by Stand Up To Racism Portsmouth aimed to celebrate diversity, embrace multiculturalism, defend our community and unite against fascism.

"Portsmouth is a port, and people have been travelling here from all over the world for hundreds of years. We want to be a city of sanctuary, not a city of hate and division.”

Nick Tenconi posted on X when marching through Commercial Road. The post said: “Once again British patriots marched for UKIP's mass-deportations demo, inspiring the public to take their country back and send a message to the government - we want mass-deportations and remigration.”

Here are the pictures from the two protests in Guildhall Square: