Pakistan Under-19 cricket team mistaken for asylum seekers in UK protest

Anti-migrant protesters in Portsmouth, England, mistakenly targeted the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team after incorrectly believing the athletes were asylum seekers. The group gathered outside the Marriott Hotel in Cosham following online misinformation suggesting that several coaches of migrants had arrived at the venue.

The confusion reportedly stemmed from a coach used to transport the cricket team being the same brand, model, and color as one used for migrants earlier in the week. A crowd of approximately 30 to 50 people, some wearing masks, gathered at the hotel, with reports of individuals knocking on bedroom doors.

George Madgwick, a Reform UK councillor, intervened by speaking with the hotel manager and the team's coach to confirm the identity of the guests. Once the error was clarified, the protesters dispersed. The England and Wales Cricket Board has since contacted the Pakistan Cricket Board to ensure the wellbeing of the young players.

The incident occurred amid heightened local tensions following recent anti-immigration demonstrations in the Hampshire area.