UK police ban face coverings at planned anti-migrant protest
Portsmouth police impose mask restrictions ahead of rival protest gatherings
Poinews.com – Police in Portsmouth will prohibit face coverings during an anti-immigration demonstration and a planned counter-protest on Saturday, as officers prepare for the possibility of renewed disorder in the southern English city.
The measure applies to people attending either gathering and is intended to make it harder for anyone to hide their identity while committing offences. Hampshire Police, the force responsible for Portsmouth, said the restriction is designed to limit the scope for intimidation, violence and other criminal behaviour.
The anti-immigration event has been organised by people who describe themselves as “patriots”. It is expected to begin at about midday. A counter-demonstration is also due to take place, meaning police will need to manage separate groups in a city that has seen tense confrontations in recent days.
Police say powers will apply to every group
Alongside the ban, officers will have authority to instruct people to remove masks or other items used to conceal their identity. The force said the decision follows recent episodes in which a minority of people sought to disrupt demonstrations that were otherwise peaceful.
Assistant Chief Constable Paul Bartolomeo said the enforcement approach would not distinguish between the planned groups.
“It is important to stress that this power will apply to any groups that attend the protest and will be enforced equally and impartially.”
Bartolomeo stressed that the order is not intended to stop people from demonstrating. Instead, he said, it is meant to reduce the risk of offences and help residents feel more secure while the events take place.
“Let me be clear, these powers are not being implemented to prevent protest, but they are being used to help prevent crime and disorder, while making communities feel safer.”
The distinction is significant because the planned events involve both the right to protest and the responsibility of police to prevent harm. The order does not remove the ability of people to attend or express a view; it addresses the use of coverings that can make identification more difficult if trouble develops.
Recent unrest raises concern before Saturday
The decision comes fewer than seven days after confrontations between police and protesters in Portsmouth. During that unrest, masked demonstrators tried to stop asylum seekers who had arrived in a small boat across the English Channel from leaving the area.
Police vehicles were damaged and several officers sustained injuries. The government condemned the disorder as “thuggish”, underlining the seriousness with which authorities viewed the incidents.
Portsmouth is not the only location where demonstrations connected to migrant crossings have recently created disruption. The day before the Portsmouth unrest, hundreds of masked protesters assembled in Dover, where they briefly blocked access to the Channel port during an action against crossings by migrants.
Dover’s role as a major Channel crossing point gives disruption there particular significance. Blocking routes around the port can affect movement through an area closely associated with travel and freight links between Britain and continental Europe. In Portsmouth, the immediate concern is likely to be keeping the planned protests separate, maintaining access through the city and responding quickly if violence or intimidation occurs.
A response focused on identification and public safety
Police were granted powers last year to prohibit face coverings used to conceal identities at demonstrations. Saturday’s order puts those powers into use in response to the local circumstances surrounding the Portsmouth events.
For attendees, the requirement means that masks and similar items intended to obscure a person’s identity may prompt police intervention. For the wider public, the measure forms part of a broader attempt to prevent a repeat of the clashes seen in Portsmouth and Dover while allowing lawful protest to continue.
The restriction also reflects the challenge facing police when opposing demonstrations are scheduled in the same place. Officers must protect people’s ability to assemble peacefully while acting against conduct that crosses into threats, violence, damage or efforts to obstruct others. Hampshire Police has said its approach will be applied evenly, regardless of which group someone supports.
Saturday’s gatherings will therefore test whether the additional powers can help keep tensions from escalating. The recent incidents have already drawn condemnation from political leaders, and the injuries to officers and damage to official vehicles show why authorities are treating the planned events as a potential public-order concern.
As Portsmouth prepares for the demonstrations, the central message from police is that peaceful participation remains possible, but anonymity cannot be used as cover for wrongdoing. The face-covering restriction is intended to support that balance: protecting legitimate protest while reducing opportunities for disorder in a city still affected by last week’s confrontations.
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