Rival groups dispute turnout at Portsmouth south coast patriots march
Anti-immigrant protestors were left “humiliated” at the weekend after being outnumbered by Stand Up To Racism (SUTR) counter protestors, it has been claimed.
The Rise Up Portsmouth Facebook page, formerly Portsmouth Torch before it was removed from the platform, promoted a “South Coast Patriots March” with members of Portsmouth Patriots, Southampton Patriots and Bournemouth Patriots invited to march from Clarence Pier to Guildhall Square on Sunday (November 23).
The anti-migrant post described the “epic” event as a chance to “show the people… whose streets?!” in a protest against migration policies and the impact of the arrival of small boats on local communities.
According to SUTR representative Simon Magorian, the Patriots march reached around 60 people, while a counter march by Stand Up to Racism “managed to mobilise around 150”.
Mr Magorian said: “This was to be a huge display of unity to teach us down here a lesson – it was not to be.”
He claimed also that, when the march ended at Guildhall Square, counter protestors faced “foul-mouthed abuse”. Police have confirmed that despite no arrests being made during the marches, three people were removed from the area using dispersal powers.
“What has become clear is that the constant opposition to them has stripped away the periphery of soft racists, and what is left is the hardcore of neo-fascists and hardcore racists,” Mr Magorian said. “This is a revolting spectacle, and they are becoming really unappealing to the wider community in Portsmouth.
“They represent a tiny embittered minority, and we represent the antiracist majority.”
However, Perry Barter, of Rise Up Portsmouth and formerly Portsmouth Torch, rejected Magorian’s account of the turnout and claimed the numbers of protesters from SUTR was also low - with support for the Patriots continuing to grow.
Mr Barter said: “SUTR/Simon seemed to be the only people expecting a turnout of thousands? If anything, considering how much promotion they put into their counter-protest, their numbers were shockingly low.
“We also had the youth on our side, great to see more young people standing with us, hopefully the sign of a light at the end of a long tunnel.”
Barter said the left “know we are winning” and claimed there is “a new councillor defection to our side every week”.
“We are United, we are organised. We have multiple groups focusing on multiple fronts. From the council chambers, to the streets, to the church, to the classrooms and the workplace.”
Meanwhile, Reform UK has recently gained several councillors from defections. Former Liberal Democrat and lord mayor Jason Fazackarely defected on 12 November, following four councillors who left the Portsmouth Independent Party in October.
Councillor George Madgwick, leader of the Reform UK group in Portsmouth City Council denied having any association “in any capacity with Perry or any of those organisations”.