Channel Crossings Down 40% in 2026, but Far-Right Protests Intensify

Small boat crossings in 2026 fell over 40% versus 2025, yet anti-migrant protests escalated. Around 500 far-right activists blocked roads in Portsmouth on 6 September after 140 asylum seekers arrived by dinghy — the second such demonstration that weekend. Livestream-driven mobilization by Daniel Thomas's Patriot Platform suggests protest energy is decoupling from arrival volumes.