Police name Whiteley man charged over Gosport anti-migrant protest

Police have named a man who has been charged following the anti-migrant protests in Gosport on Sunday night (October 4),

Jamie Lee Bennett, 38, of Thyme Avenue in Whiteley, has been charged with failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction.

He has been bailed and will appear at Portsmouth Magistrates Court on Thursday 26 November 2026.

There was a heavy police presence across Gosport on Sunday evening, as information circulated that boats carrying migrants that were attempting to cross the Channel were due to land at Fort Blockhouse, Haslar.

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Officers also also made use of a variety of police powers to help keep order. These included: Section 14 of the Public Order Act 1986, Section 158 of the Crime and Policing Act 2026 and Section 60AA under the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994 – to prevent the wearing of face coverings used to conceal identity during any protest activity, and a dispersal order under Section 34 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

A crowd of around 350 protesters gathered on Haslar Road and constructed barricades to prevent the migrants from leaving the area to be processed in Kent, which dispersed at around 2am on Monday October 5.

While nobody at the protest was seriously injured, a number of police officers were treated at the scene for injuries. One person suffering from chest pains was assisted by police officers before South Central Ambulance Service provided treatment.

Twelve arrests were made at the protest including Mr Bennett.

The following people have been bailed and remain under investigation:

• A 59-year-old man from Gosport arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated public order has been bailed until Monday 4 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 39-year-old man from Emsworth arrested on suspicion of offences including criminal damage, attempted criminal damage and possession of a pyrotechnic article at a protest has been bailed until Wednesday 6 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 29-year-old man of no fixed address arrested on suspicion of obstruction of a highway after ambulances were prevented from travelling along Clayhall Road has been bailed until Tuesday 5 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 42-year-old man from Fareham arrested on suspicion of being drunk and disorderly in a public place has been bailed until Tuesday 5 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 22-year-old man from Gosport arrested on suspicion of affray and racially aggravated public order has been bailed until Monday 4 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 56-year-old man from Gosport arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer has been bailed until Monday 4 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 57-year-old woman from Emsworth arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer has been bailed until Monday 4 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 36-year-old man from Bognor Regis arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction and failing to comply with the conditions of a dispersal order has been bailed until Tuesday 5 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 35-year-old man from Gosport arrested on suspicion of assault by beating of an emergency worker and failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction has been bailed until Tuesday 5 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 45-year-old man from Gosport arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer, criminal damage and being drunk and disorderly in a public place has been bailed until Tuesday 5 January 2027 pending further enquiries.
• A 29-year-old man from Portsmouth arrested on suspicion of assaulting a police officer and failing to comply with a prohibited assembly direction has been bailed until Tuesday 5 January 2027 pending further enquiries.

Five people were also issued with Section 35 dispersal notices, which lets police order individuals or groups to leave a specific area for up to 48 hours to prevent disorder.