By Southampton resident (details supplied). I first became aware that there were weekly protests outside an asylum seekers’ hotel in Portswood when I saw people gathering outside Highfield House Hotel, protesting against people seeking refuge here. Other people were turning up to counter-protest. I have lived in the area...
Articles with the Tag refugee
Opinion: Southampton’s tradition of welcome is something to be proud of
By Nikki Walters, Chair, Southampton Action. This month marks 75 years since the United Nations adopted the Refugee Convention – a promise that people forced to flee war, persecution and violence would be offered protection, dignity and hope. Seventy-five years later, that promise is as important as ever. Southampton...
Unity in the Community – Refugee Celebration march to take place in Southampton this weekend
Southampton’s diverse cultural heritage will be celebrated this weekend. July 2026 marks 75 years since the United Nations Refugee Convention was signed in 1951, defining what it means to be a refugee and how countries like the UK should offer sanctuary to those fleeing fear, conflict or persecution. However...
Community heroes: Southampton Action, supporting refugees and other vulnerable migrants in the city
As Refugee Week comes to a close, Southampton Action is celebrating almost 11 years of supporting people seeking sanctuary in Southampton. in the our series focusing on charities and community organisations that are making a real difference to the lives of people in the local area, we look at...
Anti-asylum seeker hotel protest and anti-racism counter demonstrators returned to Southampton last night
Anti-racist demonstrators and anti-asylum seeker protesters faced off across Highfield Lane again last night in hostile scenes that have become all too familiar to local residents (17/6/26). Anti-asylum seeker demonstrations and counter-demonstrations coordinated by Southampton Stand Up To Racism became a weekly feature of the Portswood street from summer...
Halt called to anti-asylum seeker protests and counter demonstrations
Southampton Stand Up To Racism have announced that they have called off today’s counter-demonstration, set to take place this evening in Portswood (17/4/26). It comes in response to ‘Southampton Patriots cancelling their weekly anti-asylum seeker protests outside Highfield House Hotel in Porstwood, which houses asylum seekers, placed there by...
Southampton police issue a statement about ongoing anti-asylum seeker demonstrations and counter protests
Ahead of an anticipated further anti-asylum seeker protest and community unity demonstration tomorrow (3/4/26), Superintendent Alex Charge, District Commander for Southampton police, has made a statement on the ongoing demonstrations, which have been taking place since early summer last year. In a statement posted today (2/4/26) on social media,...
Opinion: I didn’t want to join unity demonstration but I’m glad I did and I would again
By Portswood Protester. These days it seems I’m always cross. Cross about something, or someone or the general state of the world. On Sunday I was particularly cross that I had to go along to the counter-protest in Portswood (1/3/26). There are other things that I needed to be...
Despite low turn out of anti-asylum seeker protesters in Portswood on Friday, group set to return on Sunday
Anti-asylum seeker protesters have been back on the streets of Portswood, Southampton, with dwindling numbers since the beginning of the new year. But what they lack in actual people on the street they seem to be trying to make up for with the frequency of which they are gathering...
Urgent ‘defend refugees rally’ this afternoon in Portswood
Southampton Stand Up To Racism have called an urgent rally to defend refugees in Portswood, Southampton, this afternoon. The group are encouraging people to gather at 3.45pm at the bus stop near Waitrose, Portswood, saying ‘please join us in unity’. In a post on social media, they say: “please...