STORY
Masked anti-immigration demonstrators temporarily blocked roads leading to the Port of Dover on Saturday, disrupting passenger and freight traffic across the Channel. Protesters dressed predominantly in black and wearing face coverings formed blockades and chanted “stop the boats”, while congestion extended for approximately four miles and some ferry passengers experienced delays.
The Government said peaceful protest was fundamental to democracy but condemned the demonstrators’ behaviour and the travel disruption it caused. Kent Police engaged with the crowd during what it described as a protest, while the Port of Dover reported that all routes into and out of the terminal were affected. Witnesses described the appearance of the masked crowd as intimidating, although police received no reports of violence and made no arrests.
The demonstrators had dispersed and access to the port was restored by around midday, with ferry operators offering later sailings to affected passengers. Some reports linked participants to the anti-immigration Patriot Platform, while right-wing activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, promoted footage of the action. The organisers and precise number of participants have not been independently established. The incident nevertheless caused temporary disruption to nationally important transport infrastructure and prompted a formal Government response.