Channel Crossings Drop 40% in 2026, But Far-Right Protests Grow

Small boat crossings fell over 40% in 2026 versus 2025, yet anti-migrant protests intensified. Some 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 actual arrival volumes.