Councillors could debate asylum arrivals following protests and clashes at Eastney earlier this month.

An extraordinary council meeting to discuss the recent asylum arrival in Eastney has been confirmed for next week.

Portsmouth City Council’s Reform UK group called for the meeting last week, allowing the council to pass or reject a notice of motion – a collective statement agreed by councillors.

The motion argues that Portsmouth, and specifically Eastney, is not a “suitable” location for asylum seekers to disembark following Channel crossings.

It follows the arrival of around 120 asylum seekers at Eastney on Sunday, September 6, after they were rescued from a small boat which had crossed the Channel from Normandy.

The landing was followed by a protest, which saw roads blocked and clashes between demonstrators and police.

The motion argues that the council was not consulted about the decision to bring those rescued ashore at Eastney, despite the area being a narrow shingle spit served by a single access road and lacking reception, welfare and vehicle marshalling facilities.

It condemns violence and damage against emergency services, while arguing that law-abiding residents concerned about small boat arrivals should not be described as “racists” or “thugs”.

It says those characterisations draw “no distinction between any individual who may have broken the law and the many thousands of Portsmouth residents who share these concerns and have broken none”.

It says that the anger seen on September 6 “did not arise from nowhere” but followed years of “failure” by previous governments in securing the UK’s borders.

The motion argues that “Portsmouth is not a suitable disembarkation point for small boat arrivals and must not be permitted to become one, and that residents were failed by a chain of decisions taken remotely and without reference to this city or its council.”

The meeting was secured after the Reform group used a constitutional tool allowing councillors to call for an extraordinary meeting if it is requested by at least 10 councillors.

The council has now confirmed that the meeting will take place on Wednesday, September 23, at 5.30pm in the Guildhall council chamber.

Members of the public are free to attend and can request to speak before the meeting. Councillors from other political groups will also be able to debate or amend the motion.