A man has been charged with assault following an incident at a protest in Portsmouth.

We were made aware of a protest on Winston Churchill Avenue in Portsmouth on Wednesday 15 October.

During the protest, police received a report that a man had assaulted another man by hitting him with a pole, causing minor injuries.

Robert Peter Roberts, 51, of White Lion Walk in Gosport has been arrested and charged with the following:

• Assault a person thereby occasioning them actual bodily harm
• Possess an offensive weapon in a public place

He has been remanded into custody to appear today at Portsmouth Magistrates Court.

We balance the rights of those lawfully protesting, and the rights of others to go about their lives without being subject to unacceptable disruption, whilst keeping the public safe.

Our priority with protests is always public safety.