The arrival of 140 migrants, who were crammed onto a single boat to cross the English Channel on a 10-hour journey, has led to a large protest criticised as "intimidating".
Hundreds gathered in Portsmouth, on the UK’s south coast, to demonstrate against migrants arriving by small boats, which are being packed tighter by people smuggling gangs in response to a crackdown by the French authorities.
The dinghy was launched in the Bay of the Seine, France, which is around 273km from Calais, where the boats are typically launched, meaning its journey was significantly longer than those usually undertaken.
The vessel was shadowed for around 10 hours by French rescue boats and when it reached UK waters around lunchtime on Sunday, it was met by the coastguard and lifeboats off the Isle of Wight.
The migrants were taken ashore near Portsmouth, rather than along the coast at the port of Dover as is usual.
Their arrival was met by around 300 protesters, in a demonstration organised through Patriotic Platform, which was established by far-right activist Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo. He is an associate of the far-right anti Islam activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
He encouraged supporters to gather in Portsmouth and in a livestream from the scene said: "Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here.”
Protesters said they were trying to stop migrants being taken to the Manston processing centre in Kent.
The demonstration followed one in Dover on Saturday in which black-clad and masked protesters blocked roads while chanting “stop the boats”.
The protest was described by Kent Police as “spontaneous” but the force is facing questions about why it didn’t know about it in advance.
Hampshire Police have brought in a dispersal order until Monday evening with officers "in the area to ensure the prevention of disorder" and anyone who refuses to comply with the direction is "liable for arrest”.
Government minister Emma Reynolds condemned what she called the “thuggish and intimidating behaviour” of the protestors.
"Perhaps the scale of the protest was something that we hadn't seen before, but the police have brought this under control," the chief secretary to the Treasury told Sky News.
The number of migrants arriving by small boat is down by around 40 per cent compared to the same period last year.
The UK’s Labour party government points to this as indicating the success of its deal with France to intercept the vessels as before they can cross the English Channel.
But in response, people smugglers have been cramming more migrants onto boats to maintain their profits, with the number per vessel reaching 230 in one instance, the same as an aircraft.
The mega dinghies continue to provide a visual reminder that migrants are continuing to arrive in large numbers.
A Home Office representative said: "This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border.
"Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election."
"But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40 per cent more boots on the ground on French beaches."
