According to a report in The Guardian, a group of masked protesters gathered outside a four-star hotel in Portsmouth after reports that a group of asylum seekers had been taken there. George Madgwick, a Reform councillor who was called to the hotel to mediate between staff and the assembled crowd, said it was a \u201cmassively unfortunate incident\u201d.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The incident followed a clash between hundreds of people, many wearing balaclavas, and police in Portsmouth on Sunday evening, after a small boat carrying asylum seekers reached the UK coastline from France.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
Madgwick said the group gathered outside the hotel after reports that about 40 men who did not appear to be English had arrived at the hotel, and that the coach which took them was from the same company, which moved the asylum seekers who had come by boat.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The \"massively unfortunate incident\" was brought under control when Madgwick spoke to the hotel manager, who explained that the hotel was hosting members of an under-21 cricket team from Pakistan touring the south coast and using the Marriott as their base.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
\u201cI also spoke to the coach of the team, who was very understanding,\u201d Madgwick was quoted in the report. \u201cI went out to the protesters and told them, \u2018You\u2019ve got it wrong guys, it\u2019s a cricket club.\u2019 They left within a couple of minutes.\"<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The \"massively unfortunate incident\" was brought under control when Madgwick spoke to the hotel manager, who explained that the hotel was hosting members of an under-21 cricket team from Pakistan touring the south coast and using the Marriott as their base.<\/p>\r\n\r\n
The team played England Under-19s in a four-day Test last week, losing by 10 runs, and will play a one-day game against the same opponents on Wednesday at Arundel. A final one-day game is scheduled for Saturday in Guildford.<\/p>\r\n\r\n