WATCH: Protests on Portland against migrant barge

It is understood the Bibby Stockholm barge could arrive this week and frustrated protestors were out in force, despite the poor weather.

Two separate protests took place on Saturday, July 8. One by Stand Up to Racism (SUTR) Dorset and another by the NO TO THE BARGE (NTTB) group; both groups are opposed to the plans.

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There was a strong police presence around both of the protests. Both were peaceful.

Around 75 people marched with SUTR, which started near the gate to Portland Port in Castletown. They marched past the NTTB group who were assembling near Victoria Square Roundabout before heading up the island to Portland Community Hospital.

Both protests shared many of the same frustrations. Anger at Portland Port, at the national government and in particular the lack of local consultation. Some present said that they felt like protesting was the only way for them as locals to have a voice on this issue.

Secretary of the Dorset Trades Union Council, Jenny Lennon-Wood, marched with SUTR. She thinks that services are already stretched too thin: "We are absolutely in favour of refugees, but don't want them put on a barge, which we think is inhumane.

"It is a scandal. We don't have the facilities for our own people. We have been campaigning for better services here for a long time; instead, the government has sent 500 more people."

Persefoni Salter is a Portland local, she marched with SUTR and is concerned about how the issue is being directed. She said: "There wasn't any consultation with local people at all, which has caused the most problems.

"There are other people who are stirring up racism. I think it is being hijacked by people who are trying to make refugees the issue, so I am here to stand against it."

Meanwhile, the NTTB protest, billed as 'March to Portland Port', numbered around 250, and marched from the roundabout to right in front of the gate to Portland Port in Castletown - where the SUTR march had started.

Dr Susan Pheonix was part of the NTTB march. She said: "I am here because I am disgusted by the arrogant action of the central government on a small area of natural beauty without enough resources for what we already have.

"I think the businesses and the home office and the council are incredibly naive if they think they are going to be able to cope.

"Life will never be the same again."

Helen Good, from Portland, marched with the NTTB, she said: "It is just not fair, we should have been asked."

David Ward and Pamela Blanthorn believe that local resources are already stretched too thin. They marched with the NTTB. Pamela said: "It is going to change Portland completely. Nobody has taken any consideration at all.

"It is frightening, if they were 500 families I think people would have reacted differently."

A spokesperson for Portland Port said: “We are aware that protests took place on Portland on Saturday, July 8.

“We understand people have concerns and accept that they have the right to raise them peacefully.

“We can assure protestors and the wider community that a great deal of work is continuing by Portland Port, the Home Office and local agencies to ensure that the Bibby Stockholm is operated in a safe, secure and successful way both for the asylum seekers and local people.”