US News
Rival groups march in Portsmouth as police enforce face covering restrictions
Hampshire police restricted face coverings during demonstrations following earlier unrest, according to BBC News reporting.
The short version
- Opposing groups of anti-migrant demonstrators and Stand up to Racism counter-protesters marched through Portsmouth.[BBC News]
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary enacted powers under the Crime and Policing Act prohibiting demonstrators from concealing their faces.[BBC News]
- The demonstrations followed disorder on September 6, when hundreds of protesters attempted to block coaches carrying migrants from leaving Eastney Marina.[BBC News]
Key facts
- Rival groups of protesters demonstrated in Portsmouth following the rollout of police restrictions banning face coverings and balaclavas.[BBC News]
- Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary applied powers under the Crime and Policing Act to prohibit individuals from concealing their identities during protest activity.[BBC News]
- Around 500 anti-migrant demonstrators and roughly 300 counter-protesters from Stand up to Racism took part in the gatherings.[BBC News]
- The protests followed unrest on September 6, when demonstrators blocked roads to halt coaches transporting 120 migrants from Eastney Marina.[BBC News]
- Police reported that emergency and Border Force vehicles were damaged and several officers sustained injuries during the prior disruption.[BBC News]
Sources
Outlet counts describe coverage, not independent confirmation. Reports may share a wire service or original source.
- Rival protests in Portsmouth as face masks bannedBBC News - Top Stories