Use all powers necessary on anti-migrant protests, home secretary tells police

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has demanded that police chiefs use all necessary powers following anti-migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth, according to BBC News. In a meeting on Thursday, Mahmood called for robust action against far-right groups seeking to intimidate communities.

Home and legal correspondent Dominic Casciani reports that the intervention follows a weekend of unrest where masked activists brought Dover to a standstill on Saturday. Just 24 hours later, a demonstration in Portsmouth saw around two hundred people attempt to block vehicles transporting migrants away for processing after the RNLI brought ashore one hundred and twenty individuals.

In a summary of the meeting released by the Home Office, the protests were condemned for bringing unacceptable disorder. The Home Secretary highlighted the specific nature of the demonstrations.

These scenes have caused disruption for people and, given that people are dressed in black wearing balaclavas, there is a fear factor and obvious malign intent being communicated to our residents.

— Shabana Mahmood, Home Secretary, BBC News

Mahmood added that this dynamic makes such gatherings different from other protests, requiring urgent lessons to be learned. In response to the unrest, police chiefs are actively considering deploying recently-granted powers to completely ban face coverings in specific areas during demonstrations.

• Masked activists blocked Dover on Saturday
• Protesters targeted Langstone Harbour near Portsmouth on Sunday
• Police considering total face covering bans in designated areas
• Kent Police admitted prior warning was not fully assessed

Ministers have raised concerns regarding the emergence of the Patriot Platform umbrella group, which local groups have associated with. Mahmood instructed police to utilize better intelligence and formulate robust plans ahead of further potential demonstrations this weekend. The Home Office emphasized that the government expects full use of existing legal powers to address criminal offences.

Deputy Chief Constable Andy Mariner, the National Police Chiefs Council lead for public order, stated that forces are continuously preparing for potential impacts on public safety while supporting the right to peaceful and lawful protest. Major legislative changes over the past three years now empower officers to intervene rapidly against demonstrations blocking critical national infrastructure like port roads.

Original source: Read the full report at BBC News