Southampton residents and organisations have spoken of their concern for the local community following the announcement of plans for a large anti-migrant protest, which organisers aim to be the largest seen outside of London, set to take place in the city on Sunday.
The demonstration, backed by Tommy Robinson, is being organised by ‘Southampton Patriots’ who hold weekly anti-migrant demonstrations outside a hotel housing asylum seekers in Portswood. The group are encouraging people to travel to the city from across the country to take part.
Many are particularly concerned about the route for the march, which is now set to pass through Portswood and Bevois Valley, past a mosque and two busy Gudwaras.
Meanwhile, a counter demonstration, with the aim of promoting unity in the city, is being organised by local group Southampton Stand Up To Racism alongside local faith groups, trade unionists, councillors, and community organisations.
One of the ‘Southampton Patriot’ organisers said in a video circulating on social media: “This is being billed as the biggest protest or demonstration outside of London that the UK has ever seen,” adding that Southampton Patriots have spent a lot of money on the event, which is planned to include a rally with prominent guest speakers in a city centre park, following a march through the city from Portswood.
He said that ‘Southampton Patriots’ were made to feel intimidated in their protest last Saturday, when they marched through Portswood and gathered outside the hotel (18/10/25), in an additional event to their regular Friday night protest at the same location.
He added: “It’s all about this – the Union Jack. And if you all believe about the Union Jack then come and stand with us on Sunday.”
Meanwhile, in a separate video, Tommy Robinson has urged his supporters to travel from across the country to the city to take part in the event.
Local people and organisations have spoken out against the event, fearing that the demonstration will stoke division and make people in the city feel unsafe.
The University of Southampton is one of a number of organisations which has issued advice to its staff ahead of the planned demonstration, including the option to change work arrangements “to enable you to prioritise your safety and wellbeing”.
Victoria Ugwoeme is chair of Southampton Stand Up To Racism, which will be holding a ‘unity demonstration’ as a counter protest on Sunday afternoon. She said: “Southampton Stand Up To Racism condemns the far-right demonstration planned for Sunday, 26 October by a group calling themselves the ‘Southampton Patriots’.
“Their inflammatory language targeting so-called ‘illegal men’ is designed to divide our city and spread fear toward refugees and asylum seekers who have fled war and persecution. Their proposed march through Portswood and Bevois Valley, areas home to a mosque and two Gurdwaras, appears to be a deliberate provocation on a day of worship and family gatherings.
“Southampton is a proud, diverse, and welcoming city. We will not allow hate to take root here.
“We invite residents, faith leaders, unions, councillors and community groups to join us in a peaceful counter-demonstration to celebrate unity, compassion, and equality.
“Refugees are welcome here. Racism has no home in Southampton.”
Southampton teacher and artist Rachel fears what the impact of the demonstration and similar events has on the Southampton community. She said: “What saddens me most is how events like this tear at the fabric of our community.
“Southampton has always been a city built on diversity and hard work — people coming together from all walks of life to make something better. Seeing that sense of unity threatened by fear and misinformation is heart-breaking.
“Most of the people I know just want to feel safe, respected, and part of something positive. These marches don’t speak for our city; they only make it harder for us to understand and care for one another.”
Tony Weafer, who runs the hugely popular Shirley and Freemantle Watch Community Watch Forum on Facebook as well as Lighthouse Support Group which helps parents from Eastern Europe said: “I know from my clients that protests such as the one planned for Sunday are not only extremely damaging to the local community, but to all communities throughout the country.
“The British economy would not survive without migrants who live and work legally in the UK. I know from my clients that many of them are seriously thinking about leaving the UK because they are starting to feel very unwelcome and do not want their children to grow up in this racist atmosphere.”
Local parent Luke has taken part in a number of counter-protests against the ‘Southampton Patriots’ regular demonstrations.
He said: “As someone born in bred in Southampton, I understand that my city’s rich culture comes from a history of immigration. I proudly stand with the counter-protests to every one of these marches I can.
“Their intimidation tactics and constant use of personal attacks, verbal abuse, and verbal threats show that they really are the ones who are intimidating people.”
Rebecca, who works in healthcare in the city, said: “It’s really important to me to be part of the counter protest, to show my support for asylum seekers and other immigrants. They are being repeatedly and unfairly attacked by the hateful words and actions seen in the hotel demonstrations, and I want to show I stand with them.”
Amongst organisations condemning the march is the Southampton Labour Group, representing the city’s Labour Councillors. They said: “Southampton Labour Group stands united against hate, division, and intimidation. We are aware of plans for a protest this weekend that risks stoking fear and tension in our city.
“While we respect the right to lawful protest, we reject any attempt to use our streets to spread hostility or target communities.
“Southampton is a proud, welcoming city. We celebrate our diversity, our solidarity, and our history of standing together in the face of those who seek to divide us.
“Hate has no home here.
“The management of this protest and decisions around its route, policing, and public safety sit with Hampshire Constabulary. We are in contact with partners to ensure our communities feel safe, supported, and reassured.
“We call on all residents to remain calm, respectful, and united—and to show that Southampton’s strength lies in its compassion and courage.”
Speaking on behalf of Southampton’s Conservative councillors Jeremy Moulton, councillor for Millbrook, said that he does have concerns about immigration but added ‘enough is enough’ about the regular protests in the city. He said: “I fully support the right to protest and have considerable sympathy with those raising concerns about immigration – illegal immigration is out of control and legal migration needs proper controls and the Labour government are not taking concerns seriously. However, these protests have gone on for months outside people’s homes, week after week, and that’s simply not acceptable.
“Demonstrations should take place on public land—like outside the Civic Centre—not in residential areas. It’s causing disruption, draining police resources, and impacting local residents. Enough is enough.”
Cllr. Matt Bunday, speaking on behalf of the Liberal Democrat council group, said Liberal Democrats take compassion as a starting point when considering the issue of migration. He continued: “It is important to remember that many looking to come to the UK do so because they face persecution in their home countries.
“We also believe that living in a hotel for months (or even years) on end waiting for an asylum claim to be processed, often unable to work and living on an extremely limited budget is neither fair on those seeking asylum nor a sustainable position for the government. We must always keep in mind that those seeking asylum are human beings and are often victims of circumstance; those causing issues in the local area hosting them or committing crimes are very few in comparison.
“The current situation is untenable. The asylum backlog is at unsustainable levels and successive governments have been unable to tackle successfully the issue of small boat crossings and irregular migration, despite their promises. Poorer international cooperation as a result of Brexit has not helped. A Lib Dem government would build and run ‘nightingale-style’ asylum centres and employ additional staff to clear the backlog quickly. Genuine asylum seekers would be able to rebuild their lives, while those who aren’t would be removed. Local communities, such as Highfield, would not need to house people in hotels.
“We are clear that the protest on Sunday is insensitive and will do nothing but inflame tensions in our city. Although the right to protest is a human right and should be maintained, we are concerned that the rhetoric and statements being used to justify this march will make an already complex situation worse. The protest will create a hostile and intimidatory atmosphere in our local communities while also taking up significant police time and resources.
“Ultimately, this protest will not resolve any of the key issues that are being discussed as a matter of priority at both local and national level.”
Southampton and District Green Party and Southampton Green Councillors said: “We wish to impress on the police the inappropriateness of the route for a proposed protest by the so-called ‘Southampton Patriots’. The Green Party has previously raised concerns about the regularity and consistency of the weekly disturbance caused to the people of Portswood and those in residence at Highfield Hotel.
“This latest march along Portswood Broadway causes significant concern.
“As stated by other local councillors tThe planned protest through Bevois Valley also coincides with ongoing Diwali celebrations and an important Sikh religious day on Sunday, when many families with young children will be gathering. This makes sensitivity and safety even more important along the proposed route.
“We strongly urge the council and the police to take into consideration the feelings of the local community and the likely impact this march will have on their sense of safety and ability to celebrate.
“Southampton has long prided itself on being a City of Sanctuary that celebrates its place on the wider world stage and its role in international connectivity and diversity. That same diversity has helped shape our city into the great multicultural place that it is today.
“If this proposed route is allowed to go unchanged it will have a significant impact on the local people that live and work here, and on their ability to celebrate the collective culture of our city.”
The event was initially planned as a march from Southampton Common to a rally in Portswood outside the hotel housing asylum-seekers. However it has now been expanded to a much larger event, including a longer march, beginning in Portswood at 1pm, followed by a rally with a stage and temporary toilets, with the group fundraising to help pay for it, although it is not clear that permission for this aspect of the event has been granted.
Meanwhile, Southampton Stand Up To Racism will be holding a ‘Southampton Unity Demo’, meeting near Waitrose in Portswood, from 12.30pm.
In a social media post they invite members of the local community to take part, saying: “Join us this Sunday for a peaceful community protest against racism, Islamophobia and the scapegoating of refugees.”
*Southampton Reform were contacted for comment but did not respond before publication.
- In Common is not for profit. We rely on donations from readers to keep the site running. Could you help to support us for as little as 25p a week? Please help us to carry on offering independent grass roots media. Visit: https://www.patreon.com/incommonsoton