A group of around 40 to 50masked protesters gathered outside Pakistan’s Under-19 cricket team hotel inPortsmouth after wrongly believing that asylum seekers were staying there.
The protestors assembledoutside the Marriott hotel on Tuesday evening before Reform UK councillorGeorge Madgwick intervened and confirmed that the guests were members of thetouring cricket team.
“I also spoke to the coachof the team, who was very understanding,” Madgwick said. “I went out to theprotesters and told them, ‘You’ve got it wrong guys, it’s a cricket club.’ Theyleft within a couple of minutes. It was a massively unfortunate incident,"he was quoted as saying by the Guardian news.
“From the perspective ofthe people of Portsmouth who are already on high alert, this was a coach fromthe same company which was turning up with about 40 foreign men,” he added.
Madgwick acknowledged thata masked group gathering outside a hotel simply because foreign visitors hadarrived was “far from ideal”.
“It doesn’t make our citylook like the welcoming city it is. But it’s reflective of the climate we livein, and where people are deeply concerned about the issues,” he said.
Madgwick had earlier urgedpeople on Facebook to stay away from the hotel.
“There were reports thatpossible migrants were staying in the Marriott hotel. I can confirm that is NOTthe case. Please don’t attend the hotel,” he wrote.
“A number of concernedlocal residents spotted what they believed to be migrants going into theMarriott hotel. A number of you messaged me and asked me to come down. I spoketo the hotel and they agreed to meet me.”
The England and WalesCricket Board has since contacted the Pakistan Cricket Board to check on theplayers’ welfare and is reviewing security arrangements for the remainder ofthe tour.
The incident came two daysafter hundreds of protesters, many wearing balaclavas, clashed with police inPortsmouth following the arrival of asylum seekers by boat. Police areinvestigating allegations of assault and criminal damage.
Pakistan’s Under-19 sideis touring England for a series against the hosts. The team lost a four-daymatch by 10 runs and is also scheduled to play three Youth ODIs.
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