Senior journalist Raza Rumi has slammed the behaviour of right-wing protesters who reportedly gathered outside a hotel housing the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team in England, calling it “racist” and irrational. According to BBC News, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) said that members of the Pakistan Under-19 team reported people knocking on their hotel room doors on Tuesday night.
The BBC reported that right-wing protesters had arrived at the hotel after hearing rumours that migrants had been brought there by bus. In reality, the guests staying at the hotel were members of the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team.
In response to the BBC News post about the incident, senior journalist Raza Rumi commented on X, “Racist nutjobs.” Rumi characterised the incident as an example of racist and irrational behaviour. The term “racist” refers to racial prejudice or discrimination, while “nutjobs” is a derogatory term used to describe people perceived as irrational or extremely eccentric.
It is worth mentioning here that protesters in the UK reportedly mistook members of the Pakistan Under-19 cricket team for migrants and knocked on the doors of their hotel rooms. However, the players acted responsibly and prevented the situation from escalating. According to British media reports, protesters gathered outside a hotel in Portsmouth on Tuesday evening and targeted the Pakistani cricketers.
George Madgwick, a county councillor for the Reform Party, said around 30 to 40 people had gathered outside the hotel. In a social media post urging people not to come to the hotel, Madgwick said hotel staff had provided him with evidence confirming that the guests were members of the touring Pakistan Under-19 national cricket team.
Hampshire Police confirmed the incident, saying officers arrived at the hotel after receiving a report, spoke to the protesters and explained that their concerns were unfounded. Police said they found no evidence that a crime had been committed. The protesters, who had gathered at around 6:30 pm, dispersed by 9 pm.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) Chief Operating Officer Sameer Syed said a group of protesters reached the floor where the Pakistani team was staying and knocked on the players’ doors. However, the players remained calm and acted responsibly, preventing the situation from escalating.