Twelve people have been arrested following an anti-migrant demonstration in Gosport, Hampshire, as authorities prepared to receive a small boat carrying 149 migrants from France.
About 350 protesters gathered near Haslar Marina on Sunday after reports that the boat was approaching the South Coast. The protest later became disorderly, with police reporting scuffles, flares being set off and several incidents involving officers.
The arrests involved 11 men aged between 22 and 59 and a 57-year-old woman. Police said those detained were suspected of offences including assaulting a police officer, criminal damage, affray, being drunk and disorderly, and racially aggravated public order offences.
A 29-year-old man was also arrested on suspicion of obstructing a highway after ambulances were reportedly prevented from travelling along a road near the marina.
A small number of police officers suffered injuries and were treated at the scene, although none was seriously hurt. Paramedics also treated another person for chest pains.
The migrant boat had been monitored by French rescue vessels before entering UK waters, where it was met by two RNLI boats. The migrants were subsequently taken to Kent for processing, according to the Home Office.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the protesters had dispersed by about 2am. Police said officers would review body-worn camera footage and videos posted online to identify any further offences.
Assistant Chief Constable Simon Dodds condemned the violence, saying the incidents went beyond peaceful protest and amounted to public disorder. He also said officers should not have been assaulted while working to maintain safety in the area.
Police had imposed restrictions during the demonstration, including a ban on face coverings intended to conceal identities. Protesters were also directed to a designated area in a car park and warned that failing to comply could lead to arrest.
The latest arrival came amid renewed concern over the dangers of Channel crossings. French authorities said two men died and two women were injured in another attempted crossing from northern France on Sunday night.
The two men, reportedly in their 30s and 40s, died after a boat left the French coast near Berck. The two women were taken to hospital after suffering extensive burns believed to have been caused by fuel on the vessel.
The UK government said contingency arrangements were in place to safely receive and process small boat arrivals. Migrants arriving in the UK are taken to short-term facilities in Kent for health, security and biometric checks.
The Gosport arrival was part of five small-boat crossings recorded on Sunday, bringing 418 people to the UK that day. Government figures cited by Sky News put the total number of people arriving by small boat this year at nearly 20,000.
The same area of Gosport also saw an anti-migrant protest last month after reports of an incoming boat. On that occasion, the 51 migrants on board were eventually taken to Dover after spending about 30 hours at sea.
Despite continued political pressure over Channel crossings, the number of arrivals so far this year remains below the level recorded at the same point in previous years, according to the figures cited in the report.