Police to ban face coverings at Portsmouth protest

Police will use new powers under the Crime and Policing Act to ban face coverings at a Portsmouth protest, with breaches potentially leading to arrest from Saturday morning until Sunday. The measures follow violent anti-migrant protests where masked demonstrators blocked roads and damaged vehicles, prompting one arrest for violent disorder and assaulting an officer. Authorities say the order applies equally to all groups and aims to prevent crime, with further arrests expected as investigations continue.