Police Share Photos After Trouble in Portsmouth

Police have shared photos of six men they want to find after violence at Eastney Marina in Portsmouth. About 200 people gathered at the marina on Sunday night after a small boat carrying people seeking asylum crossed the Channel to the south coast. Seven police officers were hurt and treated at the scene. None was seriously hurt. Vehicles from the Coastguard and Border Force were damaged. The Guardian

Police say they watched "hundreds of hours' worth" of video to find these six faces. They ask anyone who knows the men to call 101, the non-emergency police number, and give reference 44260435943. They are asking for names only.

Two cases are already moving forward. Del Leon Somerville, 42, from Paulsgrove in Portsmouth, went to Portsmouth magistrates' court. He is charged with violent disorder, which means taking part in group violence, and with assaulting a police officer. Separately, a 16-year-old boy from Waterlooville was arrested because police suspect violent disorder. He was released on bail, which means he stays free for now but must follow rules until 12 December while police keep investigating. A charge in court is different from an arrest with bail.

Police are also looking into online threats and abuse aimed at officers and other agency staff after the violence. The disorder has been described as an anti-migrant protest, and a government minister condemned it after officers were hurt. Yahoo News

The broader context here is about space. A marina is tight, with boats, cars, emergency workers and crowds close together. Sorting out what happened there at night is like untangling what each person did in a packed, dark parking lot.

In my view, sharing the photos shows the next stage has started. The night of trouble is over. Now comes slow and careful police work. Officers must match each face to a clear act that breaks the law. Tips from the public can help. They can also point to the wrong person, so each tip must be checked.

Looking at what this means for what follows, there are three tracks. Somerville's court case will go step by step. The boy's bail gives police until December to investigate. The online threats case looks at what came after, and how it affects staff. If more people are identified, there could be more charges in Portsmouth.