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Clashes between Tommy Robinson's anti-immigration march and counter demonstrators

Rival protesters collided in Southampton after an anti-immigration march came face-to-face with counter demonstrators.

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Tommy Robinson speaking into mics
Tommy Robinson staged an anti-immigration protest outside Highfield House hotel in Southampton. Picture: Alamy

By LBC Staff

A large right wing protest led by Tommy Robinson gathered in Southampton to protest against illegal migration.

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At the same time, Stand Up To Racism, held a counter-demonstration, marching nearby to East Park in the city.

Ahead of the protests, police blocked a main road in order to keep the two groups apart, disrupting local traffic and public transport.

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In one particularly tense moment, an onlooker appeared to get into position on a foot bridge above the right wing marchers. A video shows a bottle then being thrown at the protesters, sparking an angry reaction from the crowd.

In the same footage mounted police officers can be seen trying to control the crowd as they surge towards the bridge where the bottle was thrown from.

According to the Daily Echo the alleged bottle thrower was tackled by police and then led away from the scene.

The right-wing protesters then made their way towards Highfield House Hotel in Portswood, where asylum seekers are currently being housed.

Speaking before the demonstrations Darren Paffey, Labour MP for Southampton Itchen released a statement.

He said: “Free speech is one of our core British values and people of course have the right to protest. But they also have to do so peacefully and lawfully, because no-one has a right to intimidate, or to stoke up fear, division or hatred."