Hundreds of anti-migration protesters face police in Gosport amid fury over 'police escorts to invading men'
A motorcade 'larger than what the Prime Minister or King would get' had arrived in Gosport to escort illegal migrants to tax-funded accommodation
By Peter Stevens
Hundreds of anti-migration protesters faced off against police in Gosport last night as fury broke out over police "escorting invading migrants". Six demonstrators were arrested after "becoming hostile towards officers", the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said. The protesters assembled outside a marina in the town ahead of the impending arrival of a mega-dinghy packed with illegal migrants which had spent more than 33 hours at sea.
Around 60 migrants on the small boat were "determined to take all risks to reach the United Kingdom", French authorities said in a statement - and they turned down assistance from the French coastguard as they sailed to Britain.
Police then closed down the Haslar Marina in Gosport and began establishing a presence to "facilitate any peaceful protest". The migrants aboard the small boat were instead taken to Dover "by water", according to local MP Dame Caroline Dinenage.
It arrived at Dover early on Wednesday morning, while its illegal passengers could later be seen disembarking wearing orange life jackets and carrying their personal belongings. Around a dozen protesters were spotted in the area, with local police having blocked off a nearby road.
As a result, the massive motorcade intended to pick up the small boat migrants in Gosport drove down the streets empty.
The leader of Reform UK in Hampshire, George Madgwick, described it as "a larger motorcade than what the Prime Minister or King would get".
