“THE people of Southampton are standing up and imposing themselves.”

This is the message campaigners are promoting as they took to the streets of London in a protest against controversial documentary Immigration Street.

TV bosses have refused to axe the show, which focuses on the area around Derby Road in Southampton, despite strong opposition from demonstrators.

But city resident and Unite Community member Joe Dukes said: “Asking people to get up at 8am to get a coach in the freezing cold, it's a big ask, but the people of Southampton are standing up and imposing themselves.

“We've got a really diverse mix of people and it's fantastic - that's what we were hoping for because it's all about the social community coming together and building relationships between people. That's what we are about and that's what we are opposing Channel 4 for.”

When asked on whether Mr Dukes thought the campaign would achieve its aims, he said: “I think it depends how you define succeeding, but we are already bringing people together and giving positive messages about migration and opposing hate TV like Immigration Street.”

The demonstration at Channel 4 headquarters officially began at 11am on Saturday but Mr Dukes said that 50 campaigners had already started the protest much earlier.

Mohammed Ansar, a broadcaster and activist who has lived in the Southampton area for 20 years, said: “Southampton is a tolerant community where we see immigrant communities and the indigenous British population working and standing shoulder to shoulder.

Daily Echo:

“The rise of the far right in the UK and across Europe is due to prejudice and hate and an irresponsible media is creating and feeding this.”

At 1pm they were due to give a petition against the programme to the television company's head of documentaries Nick Mirsky.

As previously reported by the Daily Echo Mr Mirsky visited Southampton yesterday for a two-hour meeting at the Civic Centre where a catalogue of demands was put to him.

These included changing the name of the series, sending a preview to the police and Southampton City Clinical Commissioning Group, and airing it at a time which is unlikely to cause friction within the community.

Following the meeting Southampton City Council cabinet member for communities Satvir Kaur said that had the show's producers Love Productions worked more closely with the community some problems could have been alleviated.