Anti-immigration protesters in Portsmouth had planned a demonstration outside a local hotel, believing it was housing asylum seekers. However, the event was quickly resolved when they discovered the hotel was actually hosting the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team. The confusion arose after a large group of people had gathered the previous day in response to a significant arrival of asylum seekers by boat at the city’s Eastney harbor. The group, which included members of a black-clad vigilante group, had attempted to block roads around the port, trying to prevent the asylum seekers from leaving the area. A spokesperson for the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, criticized the demonstrators for their “intimidating and thuggish behavior,” and Burnham himself vowed to stop what he called the “politics of poison” from spreading through the streets. The protest eventually ended in the early hours of Monday after police issued a dispersal order and threatened arrests. Tensions remained high the next day, prompting a group of people to gather again at the Marriott Hotel in Portsmouth after seeing a coach and a group of young Asian men online. This led to George Madgwick, a leader of the Reform UK group on Hampshire county council, being called to the scene. Madgwick, in a now-deleted Facebook post, said he spoke with the hotel manager, who confirmed the group was the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team. He then addressed the crowd of about 40-50 people, explaining the situation. The crowd quickly dispersed after realizing their mistake. Madgwick noted that the incident highlighted the concerns of local residents, who he said were trying to protect their city in what they saw as the best way possible. A spokesperson for Stand Up to Racism criticized the incident, calling it a dangerous example of racism and emphasizing the need to stop such behavior. In response, the England and Wales Cricket Board has reached out to the Pakistan Cricket Board to ensure the safety of the under-19 team and is reviewing security plans for the rest of their tour. The team had recently played a four-day Test match against England Under-19s, which they lost by 10 runs, and are set to play a one-day game against the same opponents in Arundel on Wednesday. A final one-day match is scheduled for Guildford on Saturday. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s senior men’s team is also in the UK, playing the third and final Test match against England at Edgbaston.