Stephen Morgan MP has met with the Policing Minister, Sarah Jones MP, to discuss the incident and violent disorder that took place on Sunday 6 September at Eastney Marina.
Mr Morgan’s meeting with the Policing Minister provided an opportunity to raise the concerns and issues heard firsthand by the city MP when speaking with residents, local businesses and neighbourhood officers during time in the area after the incident, and subsequent days.
Police officers worked alongside and assisted Border Force, the Maritime and Coastguard Agency, and the RNLI at Eastney Marina following the arrival of a small boat crossing the Channel. Police officers were deployed to the area to ensure the safety of the public and to prevent disorder.
As part of the Constabulary’s extensive investigation following violent public disorder at Eastney Marina, the police issued images of six men they would like to speak to as part of their enquiries, alongside making a number of arrests and charging several individuals.
Multiple police, Coastguard and Border Force vehicles were damaged during the evening. A small number of officers were treated at the scene for injuries, as reported by the Police Federation.
In the days following, detectives have been reviewing hundreds of hours’ worth of footage from different sources that have been cross-referenced to identify offences committed.
Following the meeting with the Policing Minister, Stephen Morgan, MP for Portsmouth South, commented:
“The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder.
“That’s why the Constabulary’s actions and ongoing investigation into the violent disorder at Eastney Marina on Sunday 6 September is to be welcomed.
“After seeing the damage done in our community firsthand, I pay tribute to the emergency services who managed the incident, and to all those who continue to take action as lessons are learnt.
“I welcomed the opportunity to discuss with the Policing Minister events at Eastney, support for our community to stay safe, and what the Government is doing on the hard and necessary work of bearing down on small boats crossings.
On small boat crossings, the Policing Minister, Sarah Jones MP, said:
“This Government has remained committed to addressing small boat crossings, which is why our focus on tackling this issue at its source by smashing the gangs has been unrelenting.
“Progress is being made, but we are not complacent. We must and will be unrelenting, not least in response to any shift in tactics by the gangs.
“The use of larger boats, with over a hundred people crammed on board, is a clear cause for concern, and we remain alert to the potential for crossings on less frequently targeted stretches of water off our coastline.
“The gangs are never going to go quietly. They are responding to the impact our work is having, and we will adapt in turn, both in terms of our enforcement, in partnership with France, and our response here.”
This summer, small boat crossings have fallen to a six-year low, more than 80,000 people with no right to be here have been returned, more than 48,000 crossings have been prevented and 105 major gangs have been disrupted.
Anyone who believes they may recognise the six men identified, or who may have information that can assist with the Constabulary’s enquiries is asked to come forward by calling 101, quoting reference 44260435943, or can also report online: https://www.hampshire.police.uk/tua/tell-us-about/cor/tell-us-about-existing-case-report/
