Moment hundreds of anti-migrant protesters try to storm Portsmouth harbour after mega-dinghy arrives on UK shores - as minister says mob 'crossed the line'

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The mob blocked roads from the Eastney Landing ferry port for hours and vowed to stay all night in the second major anti-migrant protest of the weekend.

Photos show police carrying riot shields, forming a line and protecting a number of coaches that were parked up.

It is believed around 140 migrants landed ashore after being taken to the landing site by the RNLI - a mere narrow shingle bank with only one road leading towards the city.

Dozens of anti-migrant demonstrators waded into the sea in Portsmouth to meet 140 asylum seekers rescued from a packed mega-dinghy that had left France.

The group sprinted across the beach before entering the water yesterday afternoon, chanting "stop the boats" and "enough is enough" at the moment migrants arrived on a British coastguard ship.

The mega-dinghy had set off from the Baie de Seine in Normandy – a 180-mile drive from Calais – suggesting people smugglers are expanding their launch points along the French coast to evade enforcement efforts. Rather than intervene, the French coastguard shadowed the vessel for ten hours, claiming it was too dangerous because of the number of people on board.

British lifeboats, supported by a helicopter and a plane, then took over and brought the migrants to the UK.

Following calls to action on social media, protesters flocked to the coast and spent at least five hours on the beach and in the water. The demonstration continued until 3am on Monday, when police threatened arrests after a dispersal order was imposed.

Read more: Founder of group which put flags on lampposts charged with 14 offences

Read more: Senior Reform figures condemn ‘stop the boats’ balaclava protest in Dover

Read more: Founder of group which put flags on lampposts charged with 14 offences

Read more: Senior Reform figures condemn ‘stop the boats’ balaclava protest in Dover

It comes in the wake of overnight protests in Dover on Saturday.

Large crowds of up to 500 masked, black-clad men blocked road access to the Port of Dover on Saturday, in scenes which have been condemned by politicians.

The dinghy sparked a major response as it headed towards the coast, with a helicopter, aeroplane and lifeboats sent to the scene.

Videos circulating on social media show groups of people being taken on lifeboats to shore near the ferry port, where several coaches were parked.

Speaking to LBC, Treasury Chief Secretary Emma Reynolds said the behaviour "crosses a line".

She condemned the behaviour as "thuggish" and "intimidating", adding that the British people have "legitimate concerns about immigration".

However, the MP pointed to progress made by the Government in the area, saying: "The level of boat crossings is at a seven-year low.

"We are making progress on the criminal people smugglers who are putting lives at risk."

She continued: "Under our government, only 38 per cent of migrant claims are successful.

"This is still a big problem [...] we are starting to make really positive progress on this."

She said the criminal gangs were changing their tactics to use larger boats “and we are changing ours accordingly”.

Yesterday, around 500 demonstrators are believed to have joined the Portsmouth protest.

Livestreaming while standing in the sea at Eastney beach, Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo – an associate of ring-wing activist Tommy Robinson – said: “Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here.”

He added: “It was only yesterday (at the protests in Dover) when we warned them that we will not accept this any more, and that this is no longer an option to tell us that the boat numbers are down.

“This isn’t about the numbers being down… this is about understanding that this has to come to an end now.”

The Baie de Seine to Portsmouth crossing is thought to have been one of the longest ever people-smuggling trips.

On Monday morning, Hampshire and Isle of Wight police and crime commissioner Donna Jones said it will be a “significant issue” for the Government if people traffickers shift their destinations across England’s south coast.

Following the overnight protests, she said “we’re not set up for it” in the city, and the Government has “invested heavily into Dover” to deal with the situation there.

The police and crime commissioner added: “We have hundreds of miles of coastline across southern England and if Dover is no longer the destination of choice, and instead there is going to be a spread across southern England, this is a significant issue for the Government.

“My concern now, as a police and crime commissioner, is that we don’t have this repeated.”

Cllr George Madgwick, leader of Reform UK in Hampshire, wrote in a post on X that “over 100 migrant men” had arrived on the Portsmouth shores on Sunday.

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted: “This week Andy Burnham struck an agreement for 45 more officers on French beaches.

"Today a boat launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, arriving on the beaches of Hampshire for the very first time. This is a joke. Only Reform will send the boats back.”

The Government has criticized the “thuggish behaviour” of anti-illegal migrant protesters in Dover and Portsmouth.

A spokesperson said: “We condemn the intimidating and thuggish behaviour we are seeing tonight."

“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder."

A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: “In response to a report on September 6 of a small boat heading towards the Hampshire coast, HM Coastguard sent lifeboats, an HM Coastguard helicopter, an HM Coastguard aeroplane and HM Coastguard Rescue Teams.

“Border Force, Border Security Command, Hampshire Police and South Central Ambulance Service were also sent.”

A Home Office spokesperson said: “This Government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border. Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election.

“We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020.

“But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches.”