Protesters Mistake Pakistan U-19 Cricket Team for Asylum Seekers in Portsmouth

On the evening of September 8, anti-immigration demonstrators gathered outside the Marriott Hotel in the Cosham suburb of Portsmouth after online posts suggested a coach with young Asian men was staying there. A Reform UK councillor, George Madgwick, spoke with the hotel manager, who confirmed the guests were members of Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team. Within minutes the crowd, reported as 40-50 people by one source and around 30 by another, dispersed without incident.

The Straits Times

The incident followed a high-profile arrival of an estimated 140 asylum seekers in a dinghy at Eastney harbour, which sparked a large protest earlier that month that saw a black-clad vigilante group attempt to block streets around the port. Police obtained a dispersal order and threatened arrests, ending that protest in the early hours thereafter. The lingering tension set the stage for the mistaken targeting of the cricket team two days later.

The Guardian

A Hampshire Police spokesman said officers were notified of the gathering, spoke to the public, clarified the misunderstanding, and noted no offences were recorded. A Stand Up to Racism spokesperson called the incident “racism in action” that must stop.

The Straits Times

The Guardian cited a crowd of 40-50 people, while the Strait Times reported roughly 30 protesters. Neither source provided details on the exact number of team members present or any subsequent security measures beyond the England and Wales Cricket Board’s contact with the Pakistan Cricket Board.

The Straits Times

“The hotel explained it was a Pakistani cricket team staying. The team coach came to speak to me personally and I saw proof,” — George Madgwick

The Guardian