An anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth was cancelled after masked agitators reportedly mistook the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team for asylum seekers. The young cricketers were staying at the Marriott Hotel in the city as part of a UK tour.
Councillor called to mediate
George Madgwick, a Reform councillor and leader of the Reform group on Hampshire council, was urged to go to the hotel and act as a mediator between angry staff and the assembled crowd. His ward includes the Marriott hotel housing the cricketers.
Madgwick described the incident as 'unfortunate' but said it was understandable given recent coverage of asylum seekers arriving in the UK on small boats. The protest came after hundreds of demonstrators, many wearing balaclavas and face coverings, clashed with police on Sunday evening. On the same day, crowds dressed in black blocked roads around the port of Dover.
Protesters leave after clarification
After being called to diffuse the issue, Madgwick said: "I also spoke to the coach of the team, who was very understanding. I went out to the protesters and told them, 'You've got it wrong guys, it's a cricket club.' They left within a couple of minutes. It was a massively unfortunate incident. From the perspective of the people of Portsmouth who are already on high alert, this was a coach from the same company which was turning up with about 40 foreign men."
He added: "It doesn't make our city look like the welcoming city it is. But it's reflective of the climate we live in, and where people are deeply concerned about the issues."
Social media clarification
Madgwick also posted on Facebook: "There were reports that possible migrants were staying in the Marriott hotel. I can confirm that is NOT the case. Please don't attend the hotel. A number of concerned local residents spotted what they believed to be migrants going into the Marriott hotel. A number of you messaged me and asked me to come down. I spoke to the hotel and they agreed to meet me."
It is claimed that the England and Wales Cricket Board has contacted the Pakistan Cricket Board to ensure the travelling players were not too disturbed by the incident. Security arrangements for the remainder of the squad's tour are reportedly being reviewed.
