The RNLI, a UK-based charity that provides life-saving services across the seas, has temporarily closed its Portsmouth Lifeboat Station due to anti-migrant protests in the area. The decision follows tensions that arose after volunteers from the station rescued 120 migrants near the station. Some protesters accused the volunteers of being "traitors" for helping the migrants, leading to increased hostility toward the RNLI and its personnel nationwide. Protesters have gathered near the station, and threats against the organization and its staff have grown more severe. To ensure the safety of its volunteers, the RNLI has advised them not to wear their uniforms in public. The Eastney Lifeboat Station in Portsmouth, which is part of the RNLI, has been closed since September 10. The station has also taken down its Facebook page. Similar incidents have affected other locations, such as the Poole Old Lifeboat Museum, where volunteers were verbally assaulted by anti-migrant protesters. RNLI Chief Executive Peter Sparkes condemned the hate speech and violence, stating that it often comes from individuals "hiding behind a balaclava or a keyboard." He called the actions of the protesters "wholly unacceptable" and noted that there has been a deliberate spread of misinformation about the RNLI's role. The charity clarified that its primary mission is to save lives at sea, not to assist migrants, and emphasized that its work in the English Channel is focused on maritime safety, not immigration. A spokesperson for the RNLI confirmed that the Portsmouth Lifeboat Station has been temporarily out of service since September 10 but expressed hope to reopen it soon. In the meantime, search and rescue operations are being managed through backup plans, including other RNLI stations and designated resources. The spokesperson added that it is common for lifeboat stations across the UK and Ireland to be temporarily closed for maintenance or other reasons, and that these contingency measures ensure uninterrupted emergency services.