Portsmouth bishops 'truly ashamed' as they condemn intimidation at anti-immigration protests

The Right Reverend Jonathan Frost, Church of England Bishop of Portsmouth, and the Right Reverend Philip Egan, Roman Catholic Bishop of Portsmouth, have issued a joint statement regarding the rising tensions and protests in the city.

The pair were prompted to speak up after discovering children were among those left intimidated within the Royal Beach Hotel.

They said: “As the Roman Catholic and Church of England Bishops of Portsmouth, we are honoured to serve a city which has as its emblem ‘Heaven’s Light Our Guide’.

“We cherish our city’s long history of hospitality to strangers, refugees and asylum seekers. But we are concerned that our city’s well-deserved reputation for compassion is under threat from those promoting fear and misinformation about our most vulnerable neighbours.

“We have been truly ashamed by recent events in our city that involve the intimidation, blaming and scapegoating of asylum seekers and refugees. We are horrified when protestors use Christian language to justify divisive chants.

“We are aware that more than 20 children currently live in the Royal Beach Hotel in Southsea. Here families live in fear as protesters chant crude slogans outside the hotel.”

This comes following a series of anti-immigration protests along Southsea seafront, near the hotel, with violent scenes errupting back in July resulting in police using CS gas to restore order.

Marches have continued to take place in Southsea on a weekly basis, with anti-immigration and pro-immigration protesters turning out.

The bishops continued: “We understand the real concerns and fears about immigration, including the perception that it adds to pressures on already stretched welfare and NHS systems.

“It is a complex problem that needs to be sorted out, but it requires a long-term solution, not a short-term quick fix or scapegoating. Every refugee or asylum seeker is a person with a name and a story to tell and we must remember they have often fled from truly desperate situations.

“The light of faith prompts Christians to support asylum seekers and refugees, as well as the homeless, the poorest and the oldest in our communities. That compassionate approach is rooted in a regard for the sanctity of all human life, which is the bedrock of our shared faith.

“A humane way forward demands informed engagement, meeting asylum seekers, and pressing politicians for real reform, backed by cross-agency, cross-party and international collaboration to deliver a fair, long-term solution.

“We call on our own Christian communities, people of all faiths and none, to seek a just and kind solution, and to take practical steps towards understanding and supporting those in need. Let us commit ourselves to doing that which truly makes a difference.”