For residents living along Highfield Lane in Portswood, the weekly anti-asylum seeker protests outside the Highfield House Hotel have become a disruptive and distressing part of everyday life.
What began last summer as demonstrations over the use of the hotel to house asylum seekers has evolved into a regular flashpoint - drawing protesters, counter-protesters and a significant police presence almost every week.
The protest action has largely been organised by a Facebook group known as 'Southampton Patriots', which has more than 4,000 members.
While the political arguments continue, those living nearby say they are the ones bearing the brunt of constant noise, shouting and the waving of St George's flags.
Rob Butcher, whose elderly mother lives on Abbotts Way just a few metres away from the hotel, described the toll it is taking on local people.
He said: "My mum lives here, she’s in her 80s, and the people over the road are in their 90s - they can’t do anything about it.
"The residents around here haven’t done anything. They’re the ones bearing the brunt of it.”
"They say it’s freedom of speech - but when does it stop being protest and become antisocial behaviour?
"Having a placard is one thing - having a megaphone, a can of beer, and causing a ruckus in front of lots of quiet family homes is another."
Rob, who has also lived in Portswood for 25 years, raised concerns about the atmosphere created during protests, particularly for vulnerable residents.
He added: "I don’t like leaving my mum here when there are crowds like that outside - it feels like it’s turning into hooliganism.
"Lately it’s people in their 20s and 30s, wrapped in England flags, with cans of beer, shouting abuse at people.
"Most of the protesters aren’t even local - they park right outside and just turn up to shout.
"It just seems like people turning up for a shout now.
"What are they actually achieving? If you’re going to protest, why not go to Parliament or the Home Office?
"It’s causing disruption here, and local residents are the ones dealing with it."
Ward councillor for Portswood, John Savage, has attended many of the counter-demonstrations organised by activist group Southampton Stand Up to Racism.
He echoed Rob's concerns, describing the action by Southampton Patriots as having a wider impact on the Portswood community.
The councillor said: "I was really concerned about the impact of these protests.
"They’re not just normal protests, they have a degree of aggression and threat within them.
"That’s not only for the people housed in the hotel, but also for the local community.
"From the residents I have spoken with over the past year, the community hate the idea that we’ve got people behaving like that - it’s really bad for the community.
"At the last protest, the noise was absolutely horrendous - it is bordering on antisocial behaviour."
The weekly demonstrations by Southampton Patriots have also seen major strain placed on Hampshire Constabulary - with officers being overworked and missing rest days just to meet the demand for officers.
That strain on policing resources has been highlighted by former detective sergeant Matt Curson, secretary of the Hampshire Police Federation, which represents rank-and-file officers.
Mr Curson said: "There isn’t a spare pool of police officers - this means our members will have rest days cancelled or duties changed at the last minute.
"Local neighbourhood and response teams are left shorter on resources because officers are redirected to protests."
According to federation data, 67 per cent of officers in the force are reporting physical exhaustion, while 58 per cent report emotional exhaustion.
The Hampshire Police Federation secretary added: “One in three officers come into work not feeling well enough to perform their duties.
"Officers can end up working eight or nine shifts in a row when rest days are cancelled.
"Some officers might be told at the last minute that their shift has changed, which can impact childcare and other responsibilities, as well as their rest and recuperation.
"Frontline policing numbers will drop, and that will have an impact on the service provided."
Across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, more than 6,600 rest days are currently owed to officers.
Mr Curson warned that the cumulative effect is damaging both to individuals and to frontline policing.
Last year, 281 officers left Hampshire Constabulary, with 142 of these resigning.
The force recruited 304 officers, meaning Hampshire Constabulary saw a net increase of 23 officers in 2025, and Mr Curson warned the numbers are unlikely to improve while the protests continue.
Labour councillor Dave Shields has also been present at many of the Stand Up to Racism counter-demonstrations outside the Highfield House Hotel.
He added: "The bill to police these demonstrations and their counter-demonstrations is astronomical, and we're seeing neighbourhood police officers being taken away from our streets in order to do this.
"I feel strongly for the residents living near the frequent demonstrations outside the Highfield House Hotel. It's where people live.
"I think there's a difference between having a protest in a public square to regularly voice concerns about policy, but to do this outside the homes of vulnerable people is not fair."
Back in Portswood, residents like Rob Butcher say the ongoing situation needs to stop for the wellbeing of both police officers and the Portswood community.
He added: "It’s a waste of police time, money, and resources.
"It’s a serious inconvenience - and it’s not the way to get your message across."
