A further message from Supt Alex Charge, District Commander for Southampton, ahead of a planned protest in the city tomorrow (Saturday 3 October 2026)

On Saturday afternoon (3 October), there will be a protest in the city centre, this will take the form of a march and counter march. Since we were notified of these Protests, we have discussed the plans with organisers and ahead of the weekend. I wanted to share an update with you all on our approach and the powers we are putting in place.

Over the course of the last year, we have seen protests and gatherings in our city for a broad range of issues. What doesn’t change for any of these is our commitment to policing them without fear or favour, and to ensuring the safety of those attending and other members of the public as they go about their every day lives.

Our role remains very clear; we do not organise or authorise protests, marches or events. We do not take sides or pass judgement on a cause. We are in attendance to protect the right to gather and express views freely and peacefully. We can utilise powers if necessary and proportionate before and during protest activity to direct activity of the groups involved to prevent crime and maximise safety.

The commanders who will be overseeing these marches on Saturday have been working diligently this week to put in place the right teams, with the right skills, to allow this to happen. They have also been looking at whether powers are necessary to reduce the risk of crime or anti-social behaviour occurring.

I know that some people may feel these powers are an attempt to prevent you from gathering. Let me reassure you all, this is not the case. Rather, it is an important part of us being able to ensure multiple groups of people can express their views, and the rest of the community can continue to use the City Centre.