Message from Superintendent Alex Charge (District Commander for Southampton): Protest at 12.30pm/1pm, from Town Quay to the Crown Court, on Saturday 3 October 2026

Please see below message from Superintendent Alex Charge:

“I am sure many of you will already be aware of the planned protest activity due to take place in Southampton on Saturday involving the Southampton Patriots and other associated groups.

We have been notified of a protest march beginning at Town Quay and proceeding to the Crown Court. There will also be a counter-protest involving groups linked to Stand Up To Racism. Both groups are expected to gather between 12:30pm and 1:00pm, at separate locations within the city.

The Southampton Patriots group intends to conclude its march at the Crown Court, while the counter-protest group plans to gather at the Guildhall Steps. The notified routes do not pass religious venues or locations that would be likely to increase community tension or fear.

At present, attendance numbers are difficult to assess with certainty. Based on current information, there does not appear to be significant national momentum behind the events, which has historically been an indicator of larger turnout. We are continuing to monitor the situation closely and will adjust our policing response should the assessment change.

I am in daily contact with the Public Order Commander (Silver), Marcus Kennedy, a former Southampton Chief Inspector. Based on the current risk assessment, we have sufficient resources allocated to manage the event safely and effectively.  CI Insp Kennedy is a very experienced public order Commander and was in command of the large protest we saw in 2025 in respect of Highfield House.

Inspector Eric Wong, the City Centre Neighbourhood Inspector, is keeping the Community Impact Assessment under regular review to ensure we remain sighted on any emerging issues or concerns.

Please let me know if you have any concerns, or if you become aware of information that may assist our planning. If the information is time-critical, please report it via 999 so that it can be appropriately assessed and prioritised. For non-urgent information, please feel free to contact Charlie, Tracy or me directly by email or telephone.

As always, if you would like to discuss this further, please do not hesitate to get in touch.

Kind regards,

Alex

Alex Charge | Superintendent  1079

District Commander for Southampton”