Bournemouth right wing protest planned in town centre

Anti-immigration protesters are planning to hold a demonstration in the town centre on August 18 amid riots and “thuggery” taking place across the country. 

Named ‘Take Back Our Country’, the planned event is described on its poster as a “peaceful protest” against illegal immigrants and knife crime. 

Its organisers have been liaising with Dorset Police, according to the force's spokeswoman, and officers will be present. 

Four people were arrested at protests in Weymouth over the weekend when the right wing demonstration went toe to toe with pro-immigration protesters. 

The protest is due to take place outside the town hall on August 18 (Image: Echo)

The spokeswoman for the force said: “Dorset Police is aware of a planned protest that is due to take place outside Town Hall on Sunday 18 August 2024. 

“We will be liaising with the organiser to ensure people can exercise their right to protest legally and safely without causing significant or ongoing disruption to residents, visitors and businesses. 

“We will seek to enable peaceful protests, but anyone who is intent on committing public order or criminal offences will be dealt with robustly as these behaviours will not be tolerated.” 

Meanwhile David Sidwick, Dorset’s police and crime commissioner, said the right to uphold free speech is “vital” for society but added there is “no place” for the “mindless thuggery”. 

Dorset police and crime commissioner David Sidwick (Image: Daily Echo)

He said: “We must uphold the right to protest and indeed the police play a vital role in protecting the people’s lawful right to do just that.  

“Further, we must ensure that the law is applied equally to everyone and applied fairly, without fear or favour. 

"However, and I want to be crystal clear on this - there is absolutely no justification at all for what we have seen over the last few days in Southport, Aldershot, Liverpool and in other towns and cities across England.  

“Extremism, violent disorder, rioting, looting, and the levels of mindless thuggery that we have seen over the last week or so has no place in our society – it has no ‘justification’, it has no ‘reason’ – it’s simple criminality at its most abhorrent. 

“Of course we need to get to the heart of the issue, deal with the root causes of problems – but we must do it peacefully, collaboratively and fairly.

“We have to be better than this and politicians of all stripes need to work together give their full and unwavering support to the police to stand against violence and disorder while longer term issues are addressed."