140 people in one pontoon on the English Channel. Protests in Portsmouth

140 people on one pontoon

On Sunday afternoon, British rescue services carried out a complex operation in the English Channel, saving approximately 140 people traveling in one dinghy. This is another case of a mass attempt to reach Great Britain by sea.

The rescue operation was coordinated by the British and French services. The French coast guard escorted the pontoon for 10 hours. As she explained, for safety reasons she did not try to stop the boat in the water. Ultimately, the migrants were picked up by British lifeboats near the coast of Hampshire and transported to Eastney Landing in Portsmouth.

Protests and blockades: the city is paralyzed

In the evening, as news of the migrants' arrival spread throughout the city, hundreds of protesters gathered near the port. Demonstrators, most of them dressed in black and with their faces covered, blocked main roads leading out of Eastney Marina. Their aim was to prevent the rescued people from being transported to the resettlement center in Manston, Kent.

Hampshire County Police immediately issued orders to disperse. She warned that people who did not follow the orders could be arrested.

Officers equipped with protective shields secured the buses that were supposed to transport the migrants. The situation was very tense.

The British government's reaction

The UK government issued a statement condemning the "intimidating and hooligan behavior" of protesters. "The right to peaceful protest is the foundation of our democracy, but it cannot turn into riots," it was emphasized. Words of support were also sent to the rescue and law enforcement services, who worked for many hours to bring the situation under control.

Another such protest this weekend

This is the second mass anti-migrant protest on England's south coast this weekend. On Saturday, hundreds of masked people blocked roads near the port of Dover, chanting "Stop the boats". Local authorities admitted that the demonstration was exceptionally well organized and surprised the services.

Migrant smugglers have changed their tactics

From the beginning of the year to September 1, 2026, 16,513 people have already crossed the English Channel. Although the number of crossings in the summer months has dropped to the lowest level since 2019, smugglers are changing their tactics - they are increasingly using larger pontoons, the so-called "mega dinghies" to transport more people at one time.

In response to the mounting pressure, British Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron announced closer cooperation last week. An additional 45 British officers were deployed to patrol French beaches.