“Anxious” locals of the “beautiful bay” in which the Bibby Stockholm migrant barge is docked have shared their outrage over its arrival, with one branding it a “recipe for disaster”.
Pressure has been mounting to send the giant floating vessel, which will house over 500 single adult male migrants, away from Portland – a beautiful tourist landmark with a rich maritime history.
Protesters were ready and waiting when Bibby Stockholm docked in Dorset early this morning wielding placards reading No To The Barge. They were met with counter-protesters holding Stand Up To Racism signs reading “Refugees Welcome”.
Talking to Express.co.uk, residents and regular visitors to the town said they were scared about the prospect of hundreds of single adult male asylum seekers arriving in their town with no requirement to stay on board.
One family from Dorchester who fell in love with the beauty spot and until now visited weekly said they will no longer visit the town because “it just won’t be safe”.
Theresa Draycott-Lovell, who co-owns a hair salon with her husband, had even planned to move to Portland permanently. But these plans have been scrapped in response to the barge.
She told Express.co.uk: “We don’t want the barge, we don’t want 500 single men who are illegal immigrants to have 24/7 free access to our communities.
“I’m scared and worried, my family won’t be going to Weymouth or Portland as they have weekly before, it just won’t be safe.”
She added: “We won’t be moving any time soon due to the barge.
“The barge will stop people coming on holiday or days out. The Government, for God knows what reason, is killing our towns and communities.”
The Bibby Stockholm departed on Monday morning from Falmouth.
It was pulled by a tug into Portland Port on Tuesday morning after a night of drama in the Houses of Parliament as the Government parried off attempts to slow down the Illegal Migration Bill by the House of Lords.
Downing Street insists the barge is a cheaper option to housing the migrants in hotels.
Migrants on board will be given a free bus service to move them between the barge and Portland Port.
Catherine Mortal, a resident of Portland, told Express.co.uk: “I really hope we are worrying unnecessarily but to me its a recipe for disaster, they have nothing to do but hang around the streets.
“We have no idea if the numbers bused daily will be restricted or if indeed there could be 500 men on the promenade in Weymouth during the busy holiday season.”
Another resident, 30-year-old Joshua Long said: “I suffer with extreme anxiety problems and mental health issues.
Others have complained about the Bibby Stockholm, calling it “morally indefensible”.
Local campaign groups said in an open letter directed to Suella Braverman: “For many people seeking asylum arriving in the UK, the sea represents a site of significant trauma as they have been forced to cross it on one or more occasions. Housing people on a sea barge – which we argue is equal to a floating prison – is morally indefensible, and threatens to re-traumatise a group of already vulnerable people.”
