Representational file photo of a member of the UK police
London: Police in southern England have banned demonstrators from wearing face coverings or masks during planned anti-immigration rallies and counter-protests this weekend.
Anti-migrant protesters calling themselves "patriots" and led by a longtime ally of far-right figurehead Stephen Yaxley-Lennon -- better known as Tommy Robinson -- are to rally in Portsmouth, on the south coast, from around noon (1100 GMT).
The demonstration -- and a counter-protest by the Stand Up to Racism group -- comes after protesters clashed with police on Sunday in the same city.
Those protesters, many dressed in black and wearing masks, tried to stop a group of asylum seekers -- who had arrived after crossing the Channel from France in a small boat -- from leaving the area.
Official vehicles were damaged and a small number of officers were injured, according to police, with the government condemning the scenes as "thuggish".
A day before that incident, hundreds of masked protesters massed in Dover, further east, briefly blocking access to the town's busy Channel port to demonstrate against migrant crossings.
Hampshire Police, which has responsibility for Portsmouth, said the mask ban was to "reduce opportunities for violence, intimidation and criminality".
It said the move followed "recent incidents of violence and intimidation by a minority of those who have been intent on disrupting peaceful protest".
Leaders from across the political spectrum criticised last weekend's unrest in Portsmouth and Dover, which they blamed on far-right agitators, with interior minister Shabana Mahmood meeting police bosses Thursday to get reassurance they are prepared for further incidents.
