Police keep rival protesters apart amid tensions at Portsmouth Guildhall

Officers kept dozens of rival protesters apart as they voiced their opinions and held aloft signs to underline their views.

A number of Union flags were waved by immigration protesters who faced off with anti-racism demonstrators in Portsmouth once again after a number of recent protests - one of which turned violent on Southsea seafront in July.

Protests in Waterlooville have also taken place over now scrapped Home Office plans to house asylum seekers in the town centre. Suella Braverman, MP for Fareham and Waterlooville, had called for the plans to be abandoned and launched a petition.

Today in Portsmouth city centre, rival protesters faced off again. One supporter tied a large flag of St George to the balcony which had on it the words “Born in England, Live in England, Die in England”. The counter protesters also put up a banner, saying “Refugees Welcome, Celebrate Diversity”.

Police enforced a gap between the two groups as the anti-immigrant group chanted “send them home” while the counter group chanted: “Refugees are welcome here.”

A police spokesperson said: “Police attended today however there were no issues raised from a policing perspective.”

The protests come as home secretary Yvette Cooper today said ministers are working to close hotels housing asylum seekers “as swiftly as possible” as part of an “orderly” programme that avoids creating problems for other areas.