Hundreds of anti-migrant protesters have marched through a coastal town which is set to host a redeveloped immigration removal centre.

Demonstrators marched through Gosport on Sunday afternoon, with many waving England and Union flags amid chants of “deport the lot” and “remigration now”.

Posts on social media said the protest was organised by “Gosport Patriots” in opposition to “undocumented men being held” at Haslar Immigration Removal Centre (IRC) in the Hampshire town.

Dozens of counter-protesters held signs at a static protest near the town’s ferry port, with some signs reading “fight ignorance, not immigrants” and “refugees welcome, celebrate diversity”.

PA Wire

The demonstrators were kept at a distance from each other by police, who used police vans and horses in their management of the protests.

Police powers were in place prohibiting face coverings in some areas of Gosport on Sunday and the protests passed largely peacefully.

Some 12 people were arrested earlier this month at a protest against the arrival of migrants in the town after a small boat crossing.

The Home Office said earlier this year it was proceeding with plans to open a redeveloped immigration removal centre next year at the former Haslar IRC, which was closed in 2015.

The Home Office said the centre would be a “mixture of refurbished and new-build accommodation built to the latest standards, taking account of findings from external scrutiny reports and internal lessons learned reviews to provide modern, safe, secure accommodation for detained men”.

It said around 130 bed spaces will be created through the refurbishment of the existing accommodation, compared with 198 places at the former IRC when it closed.

Subject to planning permission and necessary approvals, a second phase of the project would provide around 470 additional places, increasing Haslar’s total capacity to around 600.

Hundreds Join Anti-Migrant March Near Planned Immigration Removal Centre in Gosport

Hundreds of demonstrators have taken to the streets of Gosport, Hampshire, in a protest against immigration, as plans to reopen a major immigration removal centre intensify debate over Britain’s border policies.

The march took place on Sunday, October 25, with demonstrators carrying England and Union flags and calling for tighter border controls and the deportation of people who have no legal right to remain in the UK.

The demonstration was organised amid growing local concern about migrant arrivals along the south coast and the planned redevelopment of the former Haslar Immigration Removal Centre.

However, the protest was met by a separate counter-demonstration involving people opposed to anti-migrant rhetoric and supportive of refugees.

Police kept the two groups apart, deploying officers, vehicles and mounted units to manage the crowds. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary estimated that approximately 500 to 550 people attended the two demonstrations combined. The force said both passed without incident and no arrests were made on the day. <Cite refs={[“turn949431search0″,”turn352093view1”]} />

The scenes highlighted the growing divisions over immigration in parts of southern England, where concerns about small-boat arrivals have become closely connected to wider debates about accommodation, public services and the government’s approach to removals.

Protesters Demand Tougher Border Controls

The march attracted demonstrators from Gosport and other parts of the country.

Many carried national flags and chanted slogans demanding stricter border enforcement, including calls for mass deportations.

Posts on social media attributed the event to a group calling itself Gosport Patriots, which opposed plans for undocumented men to be held at the redeveloped Haslar facility.

Some protesters said they were concerned about the number of people arriving in Britain through irregular routes and believed the government needed to demonstrate stronger control over immigration.

Others focused on the impact of accommodation arrangements on local communities, arguing that residents deserved clearer information about government plans and how they would affect the area.

One protester from Portsmouth told The News that he believed there was insufficient capacity to accommodate additional arrivals. He said the demonstrators wanted their concerns to be heard and did not want trouble during the march.

Such comments reflect concerns expressed by some residents in coastal communities, particularly when accommodation plans are announced against a backdrop of heightened attention to small-boat crossings.

However, the demonstrators did not necessarily share identical views. Opposition to a particular immigration facility, demands for faster removals and calls for wider changes to immigration policy are related but distinct positions.

The march therefore brought together people expressing concerns about different aspects of the UK’s immigration system.

Counter-Protesters Defend Refugees

The demonstration was accompanied by a separate gathering organised by people opposed to anti-migrant campaigning.

Counter-protesters held placards with messages including “fight ignorance, not immigrants” and “refugees welcome, celebrate diversity”.

Others argued that the anti-migrant demonstrators did not represent the views of the wider Gosport community.

Simon Magorian of Stand Up To Racism Portsmouth said he believed many local people rejected the message being promoted by the march.

The counter-protest highlighted a different perspective on the immigration debate.

Supporters of refugees argue that people fleeing war, persecution or other serious dangers should be treated humanely and that immigration policy should distinguish between different legal circumstances.

They also warn that sweeping language directed at migrants can encourage hostility towards people who have committed no offence.

At the same time, some residents who support welcoming refugees also recognise that governments must manage borders, process asylum claims and make decisions about who has the legal right to remain in Britain.

The disagreement in Gosport was therefore not simply about whether immigration should be controlled. It also concerned how that control should operate and how migrants and asylum seekers should be treated.

Police maintained separation between the groups to reduce the risk of confrontation.

Although the atmosphere was tense, local reporting and police statements indicated that the demonstrations passed peacefully.

Why Haslar Immigration Removal Centre Is at the Centre of the Dispute

The planned redevelopment of Haslar Immigration Removal Centre has become a focal point for local opposition.

The former facility closed in 2015. The Home Office has since advanced plans to redevelop the site, with an initial phase expected to provide approximately 130 bed spaces.

A second phase, subject to planning permission and the necessary approvals, could add around 470 places, taking the proposed total capacity to approximately 600.

The government says the redevelopment will include refurbished and newly built accommodation designed to meet modern standards of safety and security. <Cite refs={[“turn352093view0″,”turn949431search12”]} />

An immigration removal centre is different from an ordinary asylum accommodation facility.

Removal centres hold people who are detained under immigration powers, generally while the authorities pursue removal from the UK or resolve relevant immigration matters. Detention is subject to legal requirements and safeguards, and not everyone who arrives in Britain without permission will necessarily be detained.

The proposed expansion has prompted questions about the scale of the project, the number of people who could be held there and the implications for the surrounding community.

Some opponents want the redevelopment stopped altogether. Others have concentrated on the government’s broader immigration policy, arguing that the authorities should prioritise removing people who have no lawful basis to remain in Britain.

The government, by contrast, presents removal centres as part of its system for enforcing immigration decisions.

The debate over Haslar is therefore connected to a wider question: whether expanding detention capacity will help the government carry out removals more effectively and how such a policy should be balanced against individual rights and legal safeguards.

Small-Boat Arrivals Have Increased Local Tensions

The protest came after a series of events involving migrant arrivals in the Portsmouth and Gosport area.

Recent boat landings have attracted attention locally, with some arrivals transported for processing and accommodation elsewhere.

An arrival involving 149 migrants on October 4 was among the incidents cited in local reporting as part of the background to the latest demonstrations.

Earlier protests in the town had also followed reports about the arrival of migrants. Twelve people were arrested during a demonstration earlier in October, according to ITV’s reporting. Those arrests were separate from Sunday’s march, during which police said no arrests were made. <Cite refs={[“turn352093view0″,”turn352093view1”]} />

The distinction matters because different incidents can become linked in public debate, even when they involve different people and circumstances.

For residents who are concerned about immigration, repeated news of arrivals can reinforce the perception that the situation is not under control.

For refugee-support groups, the same events can raise concerns about hostility towards people who may be seeking asylum or whose immigration circumstances have not yet been fully assessed.

The challenge for the authorities is to communicate clearly about what has happened, where people are being taken and what legal process applies to each individual.

Accurate information is particularly important when unverified social media posts can spread quickly and contribute to public anxiety.

Police Introduce Measures to Manage the Demonstrations

Police took steps to manage the two gatherings and prevent the opposing groups from coming into direct conflict.

Officers used vehicles and mounted police to maintain separation between the march and the counter-protest.

Temporary restrictions on face coverings applied in designated parts of Gosport, alongside a dispersal order intended to help officers address potential antisocial behaviour.

Local reporting said some people arrived wearing face coverings but removed them after discussions with police.

The authorities’ approach reflected the challenge of balancing the right to peaceful protest with the responsibility to protect public safety.

People are entitled to express political views and demonstrate peacefully, including on controversial issues such as immigration.

However, police can impose lawful restrictions where necessary to prevent disorder, protect public safety or manage competing demonstrations.

The fact that Sunday’s event passed without arrests does not remove the underlying disagreements, but it indicates that the authorities were able to manage the gatherings without reported serious incident.

The earlier arrests in October remain a separate matter and should not be treated as evidence that those attending Sunday’s march had committed offences.

The Political Debate Over Immigration Continues

The demonstrations in Gosport took place amid a broader national argument about immigration enforcement, asylum claims and removals.

The government faces pressure to show that people who have no legal right to remain in the country can be removed while ensuring that asylum claims are assessed fairly and legal obligations are respected.

Supporters of tougher enforcement argue that decisions must be implemented consistently if the immigration system is to retain public confidence.

They also argue that people whose claims have been rejected and who have exhausted their legal options should not be permitted to remain indefinitely.

Critics of more restrictive policies warn that enforcement measures must not undermine protections for genuine refugees or lead to people being returned to places where they face persecution or serious harm.

They also stress that the immigration system contains different categories of people, including asylum seekers awaiting decisions, recognised refugees, visa holders and individuals subject to removal action.

Treating all migrants as though they have the same legal status can obscure those differences.

The government therefore faces several challenges at once: managing irregular arrivals, processing applications, enforcing final decisions, providing suitable accommodation and maintaining public confidence.

The redevelopment of Haslar forms one part of that wider system, but its expansion alone cannot resolve every aspect of immigration policy.

What Happens Next?

The immediate focus will remain on the future of the Haslar facility and the government’s plans for immigration detention and removals.

The initial redevelopment is expected to provide around 130 places, with a possible expansion to approximately 600 subject to planning permission and the required approvals.

Local opponents are likely to continue questioning the scale of the project, while refugee-support groups will remain concerned about the treatment of migrants and the atmosphere surrounding the debate.

For residents, the key questions include how the centre will operate, what safeguards will apply and how local authorities and emergency services will be affected.

For the government, the challenge is to demonstrate that the facility will operate safely and lawfully and that it forms part of a functioning immigration system.

The authorities will also need to maintain communication with the local community as the redevelopment progresses.

Sunday’s march demonstrated that immigration remains a highly contentious issue in Gosport. The presence of a counter-protest showed that residents and campaigners hold sharply different views about how the country should respond.

The fact that both demonstrations passed peacefully was significant, but it did not settle the debate.

A Community Divided Over Immigration Policy

The events in Gosport illustrate how national immigration decisions can become immediate local concerns.

For some demonstrators, the march was an opportunity to demand stronger borders and faster removals. For counter-protesters, it was an opportunity to challenge anti-migrant messaging and defend the rights and dignity of refugees.

The proposed Haslar redevelopment has brought those disagreements into sharper focus, particularly after recent migrant arrivals along the south coast.

Yet the issues involved extend beyond a single town or detention centre. They concern the effectiveness of immigration enforcement, the responsibilities of the state, the rights of individuals and the relationship between national policy and local communities.

The government will need to address those questions through clear information, lawful procedures and practical decisions rather than relying on announcements alone.

For Gosport, the next stage of the Haslar project will be watched closely by both supporters and opponents.

For Britain as a whole, the demonstrations provide another indication of how deeply immigration continues to shape public debate, with competing demands for border control and humane treatment remaining at the centre of the argument.