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Independent says "anti-immigration protest", Guardian says "anti-migrant vigilante groups"

Five reports on the same two Portsmouth marches. Three different words for the marchers, one arrest figure between them, no crowd size — and a single outlet saying why face coverings were banned.

Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth
Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth as published by The Independent · seen at The Independent
Anglosphere United Kingdom

What happened. Two marches met in Portsmouth on Saturday, six days after masked groups blocked roads there and in Dover. Face coverings were restricted first. Arrests followed.

Four words for the same marchers.

Outlet What it calls them
The Independent "anti-immigration protest"; "anti-migrant protesters"; in one report, only "protests"
The Guardian "anti-migrant vigilante groups"; "black-clad vigilantes ... wearing balaclavas"
Morning Star "far-right"; the "so-called South Coast Patriots"

Three of the five reports say anti-migrant or anti-immigration, one says far-right, one gives the marchers no label at all. None says what earns one word rather than another.

The numbers. The Guardian's own analysis counts "at least 28" anti-migrant vigilante groups formed in the UK in 18 months; no other report we hold gives a count or tests the method. The Independent headlines "numerous arrests" with no figure, and separately carries one arrest, "on suspicion of wearing or using a report to conceal his identity". No report names the force that made an arrest. None gives a crowd size.

Not settled. Why face coverings were banned: one headline says "to prevent disorder", and we hold no text naming the power used. Whether the ban held — the same outlet reports marchers looking for a way round it. How many were arrested, and by whom.

What this is about. Groups opposed to immigration have been staging masked street actions on England's south coast. Anti-racism campaigners are organising to march against them.

How it got here.

  • Channel crossings. For several years, people seeking asylum have crossed the English Channel from France in small boats. Most land on the Kent coast, near Dover. Successive governments have promised to stop the crossings. The numbers, and what to do about them, have been a central argument in British politics.
  • Asylum hotels. While their claims are decided, many asylum seekers are housed in hotels paid for by the Home Office. The hotels became the focus of local protests.
  • Summer 2024. Three children were killed at a dance class in Southport. False claims about the attacker spread online, and riots followed in several English towns. Some targeted mosques and hotels housing asylum seekers. Hundreds of people were later prosecuted.
  • Summer 2025. A new wave of protests outside asylum hotels began in Epping, Essex. The Guardian dates the rise of vigilante groups from that summer. It counts "at least 28" formed in the UK in 18 months, "from Belfast to the south coast of England".
  • Early September 2026. "Black-clad vigilantes", in the Guardian's words, blocked roads in Portsmouth and Dover. Portsmouth is a naval city on the Hampshire coast. Dover is the main ferry port to France.

Who is involved.

Who Why they are in it
South Coast Patriots Named by the Morning Star as the organisers of the second march. No other report we hold names them.
Stand Up to Racism A national campaign that organises counter-protests. Its Portsmouth branch called the counter-march.
Hampshire Police The force for Portsmouth. It restricted face coverings.

English law lets police order people in a set area to remove face coverings. No report we hold names the power used here.

What is at stake. Whether these groups spread and stay masked. Whether the police can keep rival marches apart. Whether 2024 repeats itself. The Guardian reports "widespread concerns over fresh disorder".

Where it stands. Both marches took place. One arrest is on record in the reports we hold, for concealing identity. The overall total, and which force made the arrests, are not reported.

The story so far

Earlier stories The AI Times filed on this thread.

What is being argued about

  • What to call the marchers: anti-immigration, anti-migrant, vigilantes or far-right
  • The face-covering ban, its stated purpose, and whether it held
  • How many arrests there were, and who made them
  • The Guardian's count of at least 28 groups formed in 18 months
What each outlet calls the marchersSide by side
OutletWhat it calls the marchersAttributed to anyone?
"anti-immigration protest" (arrests report); "anti-migrant protesters" (march report); "Portsmouth protests", no label for the marchers (ban report)No — all three in the report's own voiceThe Independent
"anti-migrant vigilante groups"; "black-clad vigilantes, many of them wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in Portsmouth and Dover"No — asserted flat; the sharper line, many "use community protection as a cover for racist thuggery", is quoted with no speaker namedThe Guardian
"far-right demonstration organised by the so-called South Coast Patriots"; the other side are "anti-racists" and "anti-racism campaigners"Asymmetric — the marchers' own name marked "so-called", the counter-marchers' aim carried as a quotationMorning Star
Measured from the published text of the five reports we hold, with the wording attached. Not a judgement of any outlet.
Sources The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Number of UK anti-migrant vigilante groups surges in last 18 months Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Anti-racists to march in Portsmouth on Saturday, six days after far-right intimidation of refugees Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The arrest was reported two hours before the banTimeline
  1. 2026-09-1115:22 published time Morning Star Anti-racism campaigners say they will "reclaim Portsmouth from the far-right" on Saturday, six days after the road blocksThe only report on the counter-march
  2. 2026-09-1212:07 published time The Independent A man has been arrested "on suspicion of wearing or using a report to conceal his identity"; the headline says marchers "plot" a way to bypass the face mask ban 1 arrestNobody named as making the arrest; the man is not named
  3. 2026-09-1214:19 published time The Independent Hampshire Police ban face coverings at the Portsmouth protests "to prevent disorder"Headline only — we hold no body text, and no statement of the power used
  4. 2026-09-1216:00 published time The Guardian Own analysis, labelled an exclusive: anti-migrant vigilante groups formed in the UK since summer 2025, from Belfast to the south coast at least 28 groupsNo other report we hold gives a count
  5. 2026-09-1216:58 published time The Independent "Numerous arrests" made at the anti-immigration protest no number givenHeadline only — we hold no body text
Times are each report's own publication time, in UTC.
Sources M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Anti-racists to march in Portsmouth on Saturday, six days after far-right intimidation of refugees Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Number of UK anti-migrant vigilante groups surges in last 18 months Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
The bias in this coverageBias

Five reports, four names for the same marchers

The people marching in Portsmouth are anti-immigration protesters, anti-migrant protesters, vigilantes and the far right, depending on which report you read. Two use anti-migrant, one anti-immigration, one far-right, one vigilante. None explains what it takes for a march to earn one word rather than another.

2 reports calling them anti-migrant 1 reports calling them anti-immigration 1 reports calling them far-right 1 reports calling them vigilantes

Nobody says how many

One report says there were numerous arrests and gives no figure. One names a single arrest, on suspicion of concealing identity, and does not name the man. No report we hold gives a size for either crowd.

1 reports saying arrests happened without a number 1 reports giving an arrest figure 0 reports giving a crowd size
Scored without the mastheads. Where the two passes differ, both are kept.
Sources The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Number of UK anti-migrant vigilante groups surges in last 18 months Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Anti-racists to march in Portsmouth on Saturday, six days after far-right intimidation of refugees Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Claims and verdicts

unverified Hampshire Police banned face coverings at the Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder.
Only The Independent carries this, in a headline with no body text we hold, and a second Independent report refers to protesters planning to bypass a "face mask ban". One outlet, and we hold no text stating the legal power used.
Checked against 2 sources:
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified A man was arrested at the Portsmouth march on suspicion of wearing or using a report to conceal his identity, and numerous other arrests were made.
The single-arrest line comes from one Independent report and the "numerous arrests" line from another Independent headline with no body text; no other outlet we hold carries either. We hold no police statement and no arrest total.
Checked against 2 sources:
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
unverified At least 28 anti-migrant vigilante groups have formed in the UK in the last 18 months.
The figure comes from The Guardian's own analysis, labelled an exclusive, and no other report we hold on this event gives a count or tests the method. The Morning Star describes last weekend's Portsmouth events as far-right intimidation but gives no numbers.
Checked against 2 sources:
The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Number of UK anti-migrant vigilante groups surges in last 18 months Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Anti-racists to march in Portsmouth on Saturday, six days after far-right intimidation of refugees Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →

Who wrote it

R Rebecca Whittaker The Independent · 3 reports on this story
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Headline leaves the question open threat in scare quotes, birds absent×1
Hedged and passive one arrest, in the passive, hedged to suspicion×1
Intent asserted, not attributed headline states the marchers' plan without saying who reported it×1
Verb choice marchers "plot" rather than plan or discuss×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 misleading2 unverified1 true
From 215 reports we hold under this byline, at The Independent. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
M Michael Goodier The Guardian
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Asserted flat road blocking and balaclavas asserted as fact, no source attached×1
What is asserted versus attributed the sharpest characterisation sits in quotation marks with no speaker attached×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 unverified
From 9 reports we hold under this byline, at The Guardian. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
P Patrick Greenfield The Guardian
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Asserted flat road blocking and balaclavas asserted as fact, no source attached×1
Same report switches title in the next sentence named by party office, not government office×1
The capacity in which they meet stated flat as first ministers×1
The same report's second title the next paragraph names all three by party office instead, without noting the switch×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
1 misleading1 unverified1 true
From 23 reports we hold under this byline, at The Guardian. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
C Christophe Domec Morning Star
What the bias passes found in their reporting
Asserted vs attributed the party is labelled hard-right in the reporter's own voice, inside a sentence attributed to a union leader×1
Distancing marker one group's chosen name marked "so-called"; the other side's aim quoted approvingly×1
Length of voice the accused party's case is one paraphrased sentence; the critic runs to eight quoted paragraphs×1
Outlet's own label for a party "hard-right" stated by the writer, not attributed to a speaker×1
Claims we checked that rest on their reporting
7 unverified2 true
From 10 reports we hold under this byline, at Morning Star. Two independent readings, each made without the masthead, a quote attached to every tag. A record, never a rating. Their full record →
The bylines on the reports this story is built from. Hover one for what our passes have measured on their reporting.

Coverage, outlet by outlet

The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
The only report to put arrests in its headline — "numerous", with no figure and nobody named as making them.
Who acted, and how many: arrests counted as "numerous" and nobody named as making them — “Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth”
Whether anyone is counted: arrests reported without a number — “Numerous arrests made at anti-immigration protest in Portsmouth”
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/portsmouth-protest-face-cov…
The Guardian
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Guardian 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent Number of UK anti-migrant vigilante groups surges in last 18 months Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Guardian → What we have measured Actor named Denial in the passive voice, with no one named as the person who dismissed it ×1Actor named names Israel as acting and states the death toll flat, with no source ×1Actor named Ireland named as the side that ended the conference ×1Allegation omitted the police statement is cut with an ellipsis where the other two reports carry the controlling or coercive behaviour allegation ×1 from 10552 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
The only count of groups — "at least 28" in 18 months, from the paper's own analysis — and the only report tying last weekend's Portsmouth road blocks to Dover.
At least 28 anti-migrant vigilante groups have formed in the UK in the last 18 months, ranging from unauthorised street patrols claiming to protect women and children to groups harassing migrants in France and blocking ports. From Belfast to the south coast of England, the number of active groups has surged since the summer of 2025, according to analysis by the Guardian, amid widespread concerns over fresh disorder after black-clad vigilantes, many of them wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in Portsmouth and Dover last weekend.
What is asserted versus attributed: the sharpest characterisation sits in quotation marks with no speaker attached — “Exclusive: Many ‘use community protection as a cover for racist thuggery’, raising concerns about fresh disorder”
Asserted flat: road blocking and balaclavas asserted as fact, no source attached — “black-clad vigilantes, many of them wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in Portsmouth and Dover last weekend”
Read it at The Guardian → https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/sep/12/number-of-uk-anti-migrant…
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
The only report to give the face-covering ban a purpose, "to prevent disorder", stated flat rather than as the force's account.
Who is named as acting: the force named as actor and the purpose stated flat as fact — “Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder”
Who is named as acting: police act; the stated purpose is carried as fact, not as the force's claim — “Hampshire Police ban face coverings at Portsmouth protests to prevent disorder”
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/bulletin/news/portsmouth-protests-face-ma…
The Independent
Centre-left estimate · not a score
The Independent 🇬🇧UK · digital · independent Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at The Independent → What we have measured Accused party response Russia's side is reported as no comment. ×1A company statement about itself, taken as a "reveals" rather than "says", for a company's account of its own product ×1A count stated flat four crimes is given as a settled number in the headline, with no court, charge or jurisdiction attached ×1Actor named No actor named for the cut-short or for the clashes ×1 from 20313 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → — independent
The only arrest figure we hold: one man, "on suspicion of wearing or using a report to conceal his identity" — and the only report saying the marchers "plot" a way round the ban.
News UK Home News Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march Hampshire Police warned anyone wearing a face covering will be committing an offence and faces arrest Rebecca Whittaker Saturday 12 September 2026 13:07 BST Bookmark Comments Go to comments Bookmark popover Removed from bookmarks Close popover Demonstrators descend on Portsmouth after small boat migrants brought to shore Your support helps us to tell the story Read more Support Now From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. W
Intent asserted, not attributed: headline states the marchers' plan without saying who reported it — “Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march”
Who is named as acting: the arrest has no actor named and the man is not named either — “A man has been arrested on suspicion of wearing or using an item to conceal his identity”
Hedged and passive: one arrest, in the passive, hedged to suspicion — “A man has been arrested on suspicion of wearing or using an item to conceal his identity”
Verb choice: marchers "plot" rather than plan or discuss — “Anti-migrant protesters plot way to bypass face mask ban at Portsmouth march”
Read it at The Independent → https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/anti-migrant-protests-p…
M Morning Star
Left estimate · not a score
Morning Star 🇬🇧UK · digital · Anti-racists to march in Portsmouth on Saturday, six days after far-right intimidation of refugees Open this report in The AI Times → Read it at Morning Star → What we have measured Anyone hurt counted the only report that carries a civilian death; the person is counted, not named ×1Anyone hurt counted Moscow region dead given by age and sex, attributed to the regional governor ×1A speaker's epithet carried in the reporter's "sugar daddies" used to describe the donors outside the quotation ×1Asserted flat, not attributed a contested political claim written as an established fact ×1 from 876 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → —
The only report on the counter-march, and the only one to print the organisers' chosen name — marked "so-called" — while carrying the counter-marchers' aim, to "reclaim Portsmouth from the far-right", as a quotation.
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Whose words the report uses: one side's campaign language carried in the report's own voice — “ANTI-RACISM campaigners are set to “reclaim Portsmouth from the far-right” Saturday as they called for an end to the scapegoating of the “world’s most vulnerable people.””
Distancing marker: one group's chosen name marked "so-called"; the other side's aim quoted approvingly — “another far-right demonstration organised by the so-called South Coast Patriots”
Read it at Morning Star → https://morningstaronline.co.uk/article/anti-racists-will-march-portsmo…
Checked, didn’t cover
T The Irish Times
Centre estimate · not a score
The Irish Times 🇮🇪IE · digital · No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor framing The release is framed as a joint agreement, with no pressure mentioned ×1Actor named Names the residents as the ones who blocked the road ×1Actor named killers named as 'loyalist gunmen'; verb 'shot dead' ×1With no actor named construction no actor named for the theft or the driving in the standfirst ×1 from 1358 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RNZ
Centre estimate · not a score
RNZ 🇳🇿NZ · digital · PUBLIC No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Headline against body headline claims a 20-year decline reversed; the first line of the body reports a new low in reading ×1Headline against body headline claims a turnaround; the text carries a record low and puts it on boys ×1 from 2328 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → R RTÉ News
Centre estimate · not a score
RTÉ News 🇮🇪IE · digital · PUBLIC No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Abstraction as the actor the dispute acts and no one in it is named ×1Account taken as default the police description of the crowd as 'hostile' is carried with no other account ×1Accuracy the Slovenia entry in the country list repeats Austria's name ×1Active voice offender Donaldson is named as the one who did the abuse, in the active voice. ×1 from 2361 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → ABC News (Australia)
Centre estimate · not a score
ABC News (Australia) 🇦🇺AU · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Actor label and hedge The same man is called 'far-right' and named by his legal name. The act is hedged with 'allegedly', where the longer report states it flat. ×1A different count, stated flat one dead and 140 missing, unattributed, earliest of the four ×1Affected counted The only report to count the local people affected ×1Are the dead named one of the dead named, through a relative at the hospital ×1 from 4667 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → C CBC News
Centre-left estimate · not a score
CBC News 🇨🇦CA · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Asserted vs attributed the measure is attributed to the three governments; the territory is called occupied in the outlet's own voice ×1Attribution kept in the headline the sourcing travels with the claim into the headline ×1Figure rounded in the headline more than 600 in the headline; the body sources it to a flight-tracking site ×1How the sourcing is hedged the claim is hedged to an unnamed newspaper in both headline and body; the reporting is not held by this report ×1 from 2730 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times →
Silence is recorded, not inferred — each of these was read when we built this story and carried nothing on this event.
We could not read these
BBC News
Centre estimate · not a score
BBC News 🇬🇧UK · public broadcaster · public-service No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Dating and attribution 'It was not until Tuesday' is a judgement about delay, not a date. No other report we hold comments on how long the German finding took. ×1How hard the claim is stated Headline says the UN voted to adopt and replace; the last sentence of the report says the vote is non-binding ×1How hard the claim is stated The qualification arrives in the last sentence and is immediately overridden by an effect the report gives no source for. ×1Which figure is used States the replacement as done — the Assembly voted to replace the map — where the resolution urges states to use a different projection. ×1 from 473 articles we hold · quote attached Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Daily Telegraph
Right estimate · not a score
The Daily Telegraph 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times → The Times
Centre-right estimate · not a score
The Times 🇬🇧UK · newspaper · independent No report held from this outlet on this story. What we have measured Nothing scored yet. We do not carry a rating for any outlet — only what we have measured from published text. Outlet profile in The AI Times →
These are must-cite outlets for this desk that we did not manage to read when we built this story. That is a gap in our reach, not a silence on their part, and it is not evidence of anything about this story.

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