Policing Minister Sarah Jones has condemned disorder at a protest in Portsmouth after several police officers were injured and vehicles were damaged.

Around 200 people, some wearing masks, confronted officers in riot gear near the Eastney Landing ferry port area on Sunday night. The demonstration followed the arrival of migrants who had crossed the English Channel from France.

Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said a handful of officers were treated at the scene and that none of their injuries were serious. Police said no arrests had been made at the time of publication, but an investigation was under way to identify people suspected of assaults, criminal damage and other offences.

A dispersal order was imposed after protesters blocked traffic and police protected coaches parked on a road leading away from Eastney Marina. The coaches later left the area in the early hours of Monday.

Border Force confirmed that people from the boat had been transported outside Hampshire for processing. Footage shared online appeared to show protesters following the convoy along a motorway after it left Portsmouth.

Minister condemns violence

Speaking in the House of Commons, Ms Jones described the disorder as “intimidating and thuggish”. She said peaceful protest was a fundamental part of democracy, but added that there could be no excuse for threatening behaviour or serious disruption.

“Disorder of any kind will never be tolerated,” she said, warning that people who crossed from peaceful protest into illegality would “face the full force of the law”.

Spencer Wragg, chair of Hampshire Police Federation, said he had seen footage of officers being pushed from motorbikes and images of damaged police vehicles. He said it appeared that police had become the target of some protesters.

Portsmouth City Council said the Home Office had “serious questions to answer” over the decision to bring the migrants ashore in the area. Council leader Steve Pitt described the decision as having caused “needless disruption”.

The protests came days after a separate demonstration over small-boat crossings in Dover caused major disruption. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage condemned violence and called for protests to remain peaceful, saying that voting was the way to seek a solution.