Masked protesters mistake Pakistan cricketers

A group of masked protesters gathered outside a four-star hotel in Portsmouth after wrongly believing that asylum seekers had been taken there, only to discover that the men staying at the hotel were members of Pakistan’s Undder-19 cricket team.

According to The Guardian, around 40 people, many wearing balaclavas or other face coverings, assembled outside the Marriott hotel following reports that a group of apparently foreign men had arrived by coach.

Reform councillor George Madgwick, who was called to the hotel to help mediate, said the protesters had been given incorrect information. Hotel staff explained that the guests were Pakistan’s under-19 cricket team, which is touring southern England.

“I went out to the protesters and told them, ‘You’ve got it wrong guys, it’s a cricket club.’ They left within a couple of minutes,” Madgwick said, describing the episode as a “massively unfortunate incident.”

The councillor said the misunderstanding appeared to stem partly from the fact that the coach transporting the cricketers was operated by the same company that had transported asylum seekers who recently arrived in Portsmouth by small boat.

Madgwick said the incident reflected the heightened tensions surrounding asylum seekers in the city, following recent demonstrations and unrest.

However, he acknowledged that assembling outside a hotel because a group of apparently foreign men had arrived was far from ideal.

“It doesn’t make our city look like the welcoming city it is,” he said, while adding that it reflected the concerns surrounding immigration in the area.

The incident came amid wider unrest in Portsmouth. Hundreds of people, many wearing balaclavas, clashed with police on Sunday after a dinghy carrying asylum seekers arrived on the city’s coastline from France. Police are investigating allegations of assaults and criminal damage.

The previous day, crowds dressed in black and wearing face coverings had blocked roads around the port of Dover. Far-right activist Daniel Thomas, who is closely linked to Tommy Robinson, claimed responsibility for organising both demonstrations.

The mistaken protest also prompted concern within cricket authorities. The England and Wales Cricket Board contacted the Pakistan Cricket Board to check on the wellbeing of the young players and is reviewing security arrangements for the remainder of the team’s tour.

Pakistan’s youth side has been playing England Under-19s during its tour. The visitors lost a four-day Test by 10 runs last week and were scheduled to face England again in a one-day match at Arundel, followed by another ODI in Guildford.

The episode has highlighted how quickly misinformation can fuel confrontation, particularly in an atmosphere already charged by debates over migration and asylum seekers.