Following protests against the RNLI in Poole at the weekend and last Friday’s gathering outside a hotel in Portswood housing asylum seekers placed there by the Home Office, both of which saw anti-asylum seeker protesters vastly outnumbered by counter demonstrators, another gathering and counter demo are planned for Friday evening (20/2/26).
Last Friday saw around twice as many unity counter-demonstrators as anti-asylum protesters, with the counter-demonstrators holding a Valentine’s themed rally, playing songs such as All You Need Is Love.
On Saturday (14/2/26), around 50 anti-asylum seeker protesters gathered outside RNLI Poole, claiming that by rescuing refugees at sea from drowning the charity is providing a taxi service for people attempting to cross the channel in small boats. They were outnumbered by around 150 counter protesters.
A spokesperson for Stand Up to Racism Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole, said: “The idea that the wonderful volunteers of the RNLI would willingly allow men, women and children to drown in the Channel is absolutely outrageous.”
In response to the protest and the decision by the Christchurch Residents’ Association to vote against a donation to the RNLI, citing that part of its work (1.2%) involves rescuing asylum seekers, The New Forest Together Against the Far Right and Racism group set up a GoFundMe appeal to raise money for the RNLI.
The initial goal of the fundraiser was £200 – a target which has long since been surpassed, with donations currently standing at almost £2,600 and a new target of £3,000 being set, with donations continuing to pour in.
On Friday, Southampton Stand Up To Racism will be holding another march and counter demonstration, with a message of welcome to refugees. They will be gathering outside Waitrose in Portswood at 5pm before marching up the high street and counter demonstrating outside the Highfield House Hotel.
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