British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has called on his Labour Party lawmakers to prevent the “politics of poison seeping into our streets” following violent protests that disrupted the arrival of migrants in Portsmouth. The incident has reignited debates over immigration policy as authorities worry about new Channel crossing routes.
Around 200 demonstrators, many wearing black and face coverings, blocked roads early Sunday morning after Britain’s coastguard rescued a boat carrying 140 people from Baie de Seine in Normandy. Police officers equipped with riot shields formed a security cordon around buses meant to transport the migrants to a processing centre. The crowd didn’t disperse until 4:00 am.
Speaking in a closed-door meeting with parliamentarians, Burnham insisted the party’s mission must be to counter “fear with positivity and hope.” His comments reflect growing concern that Portsmouth could become a new disembarkation point, far west of the traditional Dover route where thousands of asylum seekers have crossed in recent years.
The Home Office condemned what it described as “intimidating and thuggish behaviour” in Portsmouth. Officials confirmed the migrants were eventually transported safely to a processing centre despite the overnight disruption.
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