Pakistani Under-16 Cricket Team Mistaken for Migrants, Drawing Crowd in Folkestone

Kent Police were dispatched to a hotel in Folkestone after a crowd assembled, following a misidentification of the Pakistan under-16 cricket team as migrants. Officers confirmed the group were, in fact, the national youth cricket squad.

Police Confirm Identity

The incident occurred on Friday, 14 June, at the Grand Burstin Hotel. Kent Police stated they received a report regarding a group believed to be migrants at the hotel. Upon arrival, officers established the individuals were members of the touring cricket team.

A spokesperson for the force confirmed, "Officers attended and established they were members of the Pakistan Under 16s cricket team. No offences were identified."

Sources indicate the team was en route to the Channel Islands for a series of matches. The team's itinerary often involves stopovers in English coastal towns before onward travel.

This event underscores the prevailing anti-migrant sentiment and heightened vigilance in regions frequently associated with Channel crossings, where misapprehensions can readily escalate into public gatherings.