On February 14, 2026, around 100 residents and activists gathered at the Royal National Lifeboat Institution headquarters in Poole, Dorset, to support the charity during a protest. The group of supporters was nearly double the size of a demonstration held by anti-immigration groups at the site.
Approximately 50 people met at the gates of the All-Weather Lifeboat Centre on West Quay Road to criticize the charity for its work rescuing people at sea. The protesters carried signs calling for the service to stop these rescues, but they were met by a larger crowd of locals who arrived to back the organization.
Dorset Police officers were present to keep the two groups separate along West Quay Road. The gathering caused some small delays for traffic in the area, but the police reported that the event ended with no arrests or injuries.
Local leaders spoke out against the decision to target the charity on Valentine’s Day. Councillor Rachel Pattinson-West described the protest as wrong, while Poole MP Neil Duncan-Jordan noted the essential service the rescue crews provide to the community.
The Royal National Lifeboat Institution has been based in the town for over 50 years. Following the events on Saturday, the charity continues to maintain its long-standing rule of saving any person who is found in danger in the water.
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