EXCLUSIVE: Protesters gathered in anticipation of the arrival of a vessell from France.
Protesters turned up opposing migrants in Gosport (Image: Adam Toms)
Protesters have slammed the authorities after an expected migrant boat never arrived at a UK town. Those who turned up in Gosport, Hampshire, to voice their opposition to the anticipated migrants said police presence was a “smokescreen”. Cops and hundreds of locals were present in Haslar Road before it was expected that a vessel carrying asylum seekers from France would be guided to the shore. Activist Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, urged his supporters to head there.
But as darkness descended, police said this would not happen. It was believed the boat would be heading to Dover instead. Brett Leishman, 55, a taxi driver in Gosport, called the situation a “disgrace”, adding that all the confusion about where the boat was heading to and police presence was a planned “smokescreen”.
He said: “Ten days ago they knew this was happening. You don’t bring police down from London and have drones if you didn’t know this was happening. [Migrant boats] were just appearing; now it’s organised. I want to know what the agenda is with this.”
Police kept watch in Gosport (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
“They think it’s alright while I’m putting £40 a day of diesel in my taxi. I’m £120 a week worse off just on fuel. Anyone who’s fleeing their country […] I get it. But when you’ve got four, five 600 men pretending they’re 17 […] going around raping 80-year-old men and kids, something’s f***ing wrong.”
He added that sooner or later the child or grandchild of someone in today’s crowd will be raped. “You watch it kick off,” he said. “Especially a small town like this.”
Brett’s wife, Joanne Leishman, 59, a former barmaid, said: “I totally support it, everything they’re doing here.”
She added: “Without a doubt it’s been going for about a week. I still think they’re [the migrants] here personally.“
Dorrie Crabbe, 74, worked in education. She is concerned about the redevelopment of an immigration removal centre in Haslar, initially to open with 130 beds, with a controversial proposal to expand to a 600-bed capacity.
“It’s got to stop,” she said. “We can’t just carry on taking the numbers that are coming. Gosport is a small town, a peninsula. We’ve just been kept in the dark about what’s been going on.”
Her husband, Pete Crabbe, 75, a retired toolmaker, said: “The concern is that there is such a huge number when it really is very, very close to a housing estate. There are people of all different ages there. We don’t know who [the migrants are].”
The whole thing seems “underhand”, he added.
Tina Harrison, 59, lives in Portsmouth. She said: “I think it’s disgusting, the whole lot of it. Paying our taxpayers’ money to bring people here so they can get free housing, free medical care
Pete and Dorrie Crabbe watched on (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
“My son has got a £56,000 bill for tax and he says, ‘Why should I pay it when you have people coming over to this country getting free housing and free dental care?’ The Government are thieving b*******. They take, take, take, take and never give back to English people. They are giving them money; they send it all abroad.”
A woman, 60, a business manager from elsewhere in Hampshire, wanted to remain anonymous.
She said: “It’s about time people stood up.”
On police operation and conflicting boat landing reports, she added: “It’s all being done to confuse. I don’t trust anything they say anymore. Nothing. It’s all planned. You don’t pull up resources like this in five minutes. It’s a big insult to the tax-paying public.“
A woman, 61, also wanted to remain anonymous. She is originally from Glasgow but has lived in Gosport for 30-odd years.
She said: “I don’t believe it. I still think they’re coming in tonight, and I’m disappointed that not many people came in tonight from their own town.
“It’s our town; we live here.”
She added: “I’m a Catholic, I don’t believe that you can rape women and rape children […] They are demented.”
Tina Harrison is frustrated by the small boat arrivals (Image: Adam Toms)
The local added: “We are not prejudiced. Not at all. We’ve had enough, mate. Enough.”
A 62-year-old lorry driver, who lives in Portsmouth, also wanted to remain anonymous.
He said: “Today has been organised. The migrant crossing has been organised. I’m hearing on the grape vine that it was organised from last Thursday. They’re being escorted. Why are French authorities allowing it to happen when we’ve paid millions for them to stop it? They’re escorting instead of stopping. It’s unfortunate that these migrants are coming to this country but they see it as a free meal ticket for life. When they want to escape from where they are coming from, they come here as a last stop, because Britain gives money, gives food, shelter and accommodation.“
A 50-year-old tree surgeon from Gosport said the gathering of protesters was “great” and there were “people from all over”.
People in masks are “well behaved and don’t cause any trouble”.
“They’re doing what the police should be doing.”
The situation is “bad, very bad”, he added.
“There’s a myriad of reasons why they shouldn’t come here.”
He said that during World War 2 and World War 1 there was a threat of invasion and people in Britain stood and fought.
“Go back home and stand and fight,” he added.
Masked men approached the police line (Image: Adam Toms)
The local added: “There are economic migrants. The vast majority of people don’t want them here, regardless of their colour, or the colour of the people who live here. It’s not about that.”
His wife, 41, also a tree surgeon, said locals expressed “solidarity” and “community spirit”.
People in masks have “obviously got lives and business”, she added. “They don’t want people against their views causing problems for their businesses. They keep order actually.“
A 48-year-old floor layer who lives in Gosport said migrants are “a national security threat”. “No one knows who they are, really,” he added.
A 48-year-old woman walking her dog with her husband on the marina said she does not like the fact that small boats are turning up on the UK’s shores, but she feared the protest could turn nasty.
“I think it’s scary. I don’t know what the world’s coming to.”
A group of men clad in black clothing and face coverings walked towards the line of police after the news filtered out that the boat was not coming.
The crowd cheered as they approached and chanted “send them home”.
A young boy and girl shouted “get them out” down a megaphone.
A speaker played what sounded like recordings of children’s voices saying “go back to your country” and “send them back”.
One of the masked men told some of the protesters: “We are all here for the same reason and that’s our kids.
“No violence and no throwing stuff, alright?”
Earlier, The Express witnessed a man wearing a black cap and a face covering below his chin urinating against a tree next to Gosport’s Holy Trinity Church.
A police boat was deployed (Image: Jonathan Buckmaster)
Hampshire Police said: “We have been working with partner agencies today, following a report of a small boat crossing in the English Channel.
“We know how these incidents can impact local communities. As a precaution, we deployed officers to Gosport and Portsmouth this afternoon to support our partners in the event of any emergency at sea, to facilitate any peaceful protest and ensure the safety of the public.
“We have been in contact with our partners including the Maritime and Coastguard Agency and Border Security Command throughout the day.
“The boat and those on board are no longer in our force area.
“We know a small number of people have been following proceedings today and have come out to Gosport and Portsmouth.
“As we start to stand down the police operation, please be assured that officers will remain in those areas this evening while people leave the area and to maintain public safety.
“Thank you for your patience while we have been dealing with this and sorry for any inconvenience it has caused.”
The Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, met Donald Trump at the UN General Assembly today.
He pledged to deliver a “controlled approach” to immigration, as he met Donald Trump for the first time.
The US president said Mr Burnham “understands” immigration is a worldwide issue.
Mr Burnham said: “Our commitment is to get to a controlled approach. That’s what people want to see.
“They’re not against migration overall, they know that people work in the NHS and in the care system.
“It’s a difference, though, when it’s managed or when it’s uncontrolled, and the small boats is a very big issue for people.
“But crossings this summer were down 50%, there or thereabouts, on the number six years ago. So sometimes people don’t hear that the progress is being made, but the progress is being made.
“And we know we’ve got further to go.
“The Home Secretary and the Foreign Secretary are working with me on it, and we’ll keep working on it.”