This is the first time such a large vessel intercepted by British authorities in the English Channel has arrived in the British city of Portsmouth—the vessel is carrying 140 migrants.
The protesters blocked roads for hours and vowed to stay overnight to prevent the new arrivals from being transferred to a processing center. While suppressing the unrest, police used tear gas; however, the protesters managed to break through onto the small-craft parking area. The buses carrying the passengers have still not left the port.
"The right to peaceful protest is the foundation of our democracy, but it must never cross the line into disorder," a government spokesperson said.
❗️On September 5, hundreds of protesters dressed in black and wearing balaclavas paralyzed traffic near the port of Dover in the United Kingdom. British media link the protests to anti-immigration sentiment and demonstrations against illegal migration across the English Channel under the slogan "Stop the boats".
📋 The problem of illegal Channel crossings remains one of the key issues for the United Kingdom. According to media reports, more than 205,000 illegal migrants have arrived in the country in small boats via the English Channel since 2018.
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