--- title: "Portsmouth protests: Anti-migrant and counter-demonstrators clash" publication: "MediaBias News" url: "https://mediabias.news/politics/portsmouth-protests-anti-migrant-and-counter-demonstrators-clash" api: "https://mediabias.news/api/v1/stories/portsmouth-protests-anti-migrant-and-counter-demonstrators-clash" markdown: "https://mediabias.news/politics/portsmouth-protests-anti-migrant-and-counter-demonstrators-clash.md" audio: "https://mediabias.news/api/audio/portsmouth-protests-anti-migrant-and-counter-demonstrators-clash" category: "Politics" area: "United Kingdom" published: "2026-09-12T18:45:53.648Z" source_reported: "2026-09-12T18:06:00.000Z" updated: "2026-09-12T18:45:53.648Z" trust_score: 42 critic_score: 61 hype_score: 41 assessment_type: "coverage-and-source-reporting-analysis" fact_check_status: "not-performed" coverage_measured: "2026-09-12T20:14:32.249097+00:00" --- # Portsmouth protests: Anti-migrant and counter-demonstrators clash *Police warn of arrests for face coverings as rival groups gather in city* **Scores for the source reporting** (0-100, assessing the original journalism this article was written from, not this write-up): - Trust 42 of 100, higher is better. The central claim is attributed to named bodies and police, with one full report and multiple digests. - Craft 61 of 100, higher is better. The reporting includes quotes from participants and officials, and details the sequence of events. - Hype 41 of 100, lower is better. The headline promises clashes, which are reported, but the overall tone is measured. Scored by MediaBias News; method at https://mediabias.news/methodology. **The short version** - Rival anti-migrant and counter-demonstrations took place in Portsmouth. - Hampshire Police warned protesters wearing face coverings could face arrest. - One man was charged with violent disorder and assaulting a police officer following a previous protest. - Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood discussed far-right group readiness with police. Anti-migrant protesters and counter-demonstrators gathered in Portsmouth on Saturday. Hampshire Police had a significant presence in the city centre. The force warned that individuals wearing face coverings could be arrested under the Crime and Policing Act. No one was seen wearing masks at the demonstrations following these warnings. The anti-migrant group marched to Guildhall Square, with banners including "We've had enough stop the boats" and "Stand up, speak out, stop the grooming gangs". Chants of "stop the boats" were heard. Counter-demonstrators, holding signs such as "RNLI are heroes, no-one is illegal" and "Hate has no place in Pompey", gathered in a neighbouring car park. Chants from this group included "Scapegoat migrants no way, blame the rich and make them pay" and "refugees are welcome here". The two groups assembled to face each other on opposite sides of Guildhall Square, with some shouting. The Evening Standard reported that the Stand Up To Racism side chanted "stop the hate" while the anti-immigration side booed. Chants about deportation were heard from the anti-immigration protesters. ## Disagreement on arrests LBC reported that a 76-year-old man was arrested over face covering at the anti-immigration protest. The Evening Standard reported that the first man charged over last week's anti-migrant demonstration in Portsmouth, Del Leon Somerville, 42, appeared before Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court charged with violent disorder and assaulting a police constable. Assistant Chief Constable Tony Rowlinson stated Somerville’s arrest was the "first of what we fully anticipate to be a number of arrests". ## What the coverage left out None of the centre or right-rated reports mentioned the specific details of the previous anti-migrant demonstration in Dover, beyond condemnation of masked men blocking roads. The centre-rated Evening Standard mentioned the events in Dover and Portsmouth last weekend in relation to the Home Secretary's meeting, but did not provide details of the previous Portsmouth demonstration beyond the arrest. ## Who covered it Shares of the 9 covering outlets with a published leaning rating: - Left: 11% (1) - Centre: 33% (3) - Right: 56% (5) 17 of 26 covering outlets carried no usable leaning rating and were excluded from those percentages. Coverage measured 2026-09-12T20:14:32.249097+00:00. **Coverage watch:** developing. Checked 7 times; 0 checks found a material change. Most recently checked 2026-09-12T20:45:15.492Z. ## How the sides framed it ### Left No separate framing summary. ### Centre - The centre-rated reports led on the rival demonstrations in Portsmouth. The Evening Standard's full report detailed the police warnings about face coverings and potential arrests under the Crime and Policing Act. It described the banners and chants of both groups, noting the "stop the boats" slogan from anti-migrant protesters and "refugees are welcome here" from counter-demonstrators. This report also detailed the arrest and charges against Del Leon Somerville in relation to a previous demonstration and quoted Assistant Chief Constable Tony Rowlinson. The Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood's meeting with police to discuss readiness in dealing with far-right groups was also a focus, as were the condemned scenes of masked men blocking roads in Dover. Sky News UK's digest noted that police faced a challenge as scuffles broke out and around 100 anti-migration demonstrators "splintered off" to chase counter-protesters. ### Right - The right-rated reports focused on the protests and related arrests. Protothema's digest stated that police set up a security perimeter to prevent the two gatherings from coming into contact. LBC's digest reported that a 76-year-old man was arrested over a face covering at the Portsmouth anti-immigration protest. **Provisional coverage gap:** left. The watch is not closed, so this is not yet a settled blindspot finding. ## Factuality profile of the covering outlets These are published factuality ratings of the outlets, not a verdict on whether this story or its claims are true. - veryLow: 1 - mixed: 4 - high: 4 - unknown: 17 ## Verification scope This page compares coverage and scores the source reporting. It is not a ClaimReview verdict on whether the underlying event or claim is true. ## Original reporting this was written from - [The Independent (US)](https://the-independent.com/news/uk/home-news/hampshire-hampshire-police-shabana-mahmood-rnli-union-b3049147.html) — Man arrested over concealing identity at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth - [enikos.gr](https://enikos.gr/international/vretania-entasi-kai-diadiloseis-sto-portsmouth-gia-ti-metanastefsi-se-epifylaki-i-astynomia/2643085) — Britain: Tension and Protests in Portsmouth over Immigration - Police on Alert - [[your]NEWS](https://yournews.com/2026/09/12/7193380/anti-immigration-protesters-clash-with-counter-demonstrators-in-portsmouth-as-stop-the) — Anti-Immigration Protesters Clash With Counter-Demonstrators in Portsmouth as ‘Stop the Boats’ Protests Continue - [Le Singulier](https://lesinguliersete.fr/a-portsmouth-deux-rassemblements-opposes-se-font-face-sous-haute-surveillance) — In Portsmouth, Two Opposing Rallies Face Each Other Under High Surveillance - [Il Quotidiano del Sud](https://quotidianodelsud.it/2026/09/12/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" - [CNN Greece](https://cnn.gr/kosmos/story/552087/vretania-diadilosi-kata-ton-metanaston-kai-antidiadilosi-kata-tis-akrodeksias-sto-portsmouth) — Britain: Anti-Immigrant Protest and Anti-Far-Right Counter-Demonstration in Portsmouth - [The Gateway Pundit](https://thegatewaypundit.com/2026/09/uk-anti-immigration-demonstrators-clash-counter-protesters-police) — UK Anti-Immigration Demonstrators Clash With Counter-Protesters and Police in Portsmouth Harbor – Citizens Keep Pressuring Labour Government Over Small-Boat Invasion * The Gateway Pundit * by Paul Serran - [LaProvence.com](https://laprovence.com/article/france-monde/4894691769364214/angleterre-des-centaines-de-manifestants-anti-migrants-defilent-a-portsmouth) — England: Hundreds of Anti-Migrant Protesters March in Portsmouth - [Libre](https://libre.gr/2026/09/12/m-vretania-megali-diadilosi-entasi-ka) — Demonstration in Great Britain: Tension and Arrests in Portsmouth - [politika.rs](https://politika.rs/scc/clanak/785034/zestoki-sukobi-u-portsmutu-antimigrantski-demonstranti-sukobili-se-sa-kontramitingasima) — Violent Clashes in Portsmouth: Anti-Immigrant Protesters Clash with Counter-Protesters - [LBC](https://lbc.co.uk/article/immigration-protests-amass-portsmouth-5HjdhKP_2) — Man, 76, arrested over face covering at Portsmouth anti-immigration protest - [Sky News UK](https://news.sky.com/story/anti-migrant-demonstrators-chase-down-counter-protesters-after-portsmouth-march-13584910) — Anti-migrant demonstrators clash with counter-protesters during march in Portsmouth - [www.ertnews.gr](https://ertnews.gr/eidiseis/diethni/vretania-entasi-sto-portsmouth-diadilosi-kata-ton-metanaston-kai-antidiadilosi-kata-tis-akrodeksias) — Britain: Tensions in Portsmouth – Anti-Immigrant Protest and Counter-Demonstration Against the Far-Right - [ΑΘΗΝΑ 9,84](https://athina984.gr/2026/09/12/vretania-ekatontades-se-diadilosi-kata-tis-metanasteysis-sto-portsmoyth-antidiadilosi-kata-tis-akrodexias) — Britain: Hundreds in Anti-Immigration Protest in Portsmouth – Counter-Demonstration Against the Far Right - [Protothema](https://protothema.gr/world/article/1877840/vretania-apo-ti-mia-diadilonoun-kata-ton-metanaston-kai-apo-tin-alli-kata-tis-akrodexias-sto-portsmouth) — Britain: Two Rival Demonstrations Simultaneously in Portsmouth, Against Immigrants and Against the Far Right - [newsbiella.it](https://newsbiella.it/2026/09/12/leggi-notizia/articolo/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire.html) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" - [Capital.gr](https://capital.gr/diethni/4016486/bretania-diadilosi-kata-ton-metanaston-kai-antidiadilosi-kata-tis-akrodexias-sto-portsmouth) — Britain: Anti-Immigrant Protest and Anti-Far-Right Counter-Demonstration in Portsmouth - [sofokleousin.gr](https://sofokleousin.gr/epikairotita/diethni/vretania-paralliles-kinitopoiiseis-gia-to-metanasteytiko-ypo-ton-) — Britain: Parallel Protests over Immigration Amid Fears of New Incidents - [INTELLINEWS](https://intelli.news/2026/09/12/anti-migrant-demonstrators-chase-down-counter-protesters-after-portsmouth-march) — Anti-migrant demonstrators ‘chase down’ counter-protesters after Portsmouth march - [Business Daily](https://businessdaily.gr/diethni/231637_diadiloseis-sto-portsmoyth-antiparathesi-gia-ti-metanasteysi-kai-tin-akrodexia) — Portsmouth: Protesters Clash over Immigrants and the Far Right - [Calabria News](https://calabrianews.it/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" - [Giornale Radio](https://giornaleradio.fm/estero/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" - [Rec News | Lontani dal mainstream](https://recnews.it/2026/09/12/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" - [canaledieci.it](https://canaledieci.it/2026/09/12/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" - [periodicodaily.com](https://periodicodaily.com/migranti-nuove-manifestazioni-a-portsmouth-limmigrazione-clandestina-deve-finire) — Migrants, New Demonstrations in Portsmouth: "Illegal Immigration Must End" Periodic Daily - [Evening Standard](https://standard.co.uk/news/uk/antimigrant-protesters-stand-up-to-racism-march-portsmouth-b1296724.html) — Anti-migrant protesters and counter demonstrators hold rival demos in Portsmouth ## Questions **What happened at the Portsmouth demonstrations?** Anti-migrant protesters and counter-demonstrators held rival rallies in Portsmouth. Police were present in large numbers and warned that protesters wearing face coverings could be arrested. One man was charged with violent disorder and assaulting a police constable in relation to a previous demonstration. **What did the police say about face coverings?** Hampshire Police warned that protesters wearing face coverings could be arrested under powers in the Crime and Policing Act. Following these warnings, no one was seen wearing masks at either gathering. **Who is Del Leon Somerville?** Del Leon Somerville, aged 42, was charged with violent disorder and assaulting a police constable. His arrest followed a previous anti-migrant demonstration in Portsmouth, and police indicated it was the first of anticipated further arrests. --- MediaBias News — https://mediabias.news. Reproduced from https://mediabias.news/politics/portsmouth-protests-anti-migrant-and-counter-demonstrators-clash. Please cite as: MediaBias News, "Portsmouth protests: Anti-migrant and counter-demonstrators clash", https://mediabias.news/politics/portsmouth-protests-anti-migrant-and-counter-demonstrators-clash