Great Britain: Hundreds of masked people block entrances to Dover ferry port

Right-wing protests

Hundreds of masked people block access to the port

The protest at the English ferry port of Dover is aimed at the arrival of migrants across the English Channel. The local Labor MP tells participants to go home.

Black-clad and masked protesters blocked the approaches to the port of Dover in southern England on Saturday morning. As the Guardian reported, traffic on the A20 came to a standstill in both directions. Kent Police said officers were at the scene and speaking to participants. An eyewitness estimated the number of participants to be around 300 to the local media “KentOnline”.

The port operator said it was in contact with the police. There were initially no reports of violent incidents. According to the National Highways Authority, the demonstrators blocked three places. As ITV reports, there were around 6.4 kilometers of traffic jams, with delays of up to 45 minutes.

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The action is intended to combat the arrival of migrants in small boats. Paul King, a local politician from the right-wing Reform Party, said according to the Guardian that he had been told of a protest under the slogan “Stop the boats.” It’s about people who cross the English Channel in small boats to… Great Britain to reach. Far-right activist Tommy Robinson reportedly shared a video of the blockade and referenced a live broadcast of the protest.

There is apparently a connection to the right-wing extremist group Patriot Platform. Danny Thomas, a man close to Tommy Robinson, founded the group in June. He described the organization as a “resistance movement” and called on his followers to take “direct action.”

The Labor MP for Dover and Deal, Mike Tapp, criticized participants on Facebook and urged them to “go home.” He explained that crossings in small boats had fallen by 40 percent and that a solution was being worked on. He did not mention a comparison period in the statement reproduced.

Reform local politician King said, according to the Guardian, that he did not condone disruption of public order through protests. At the same time, he made a comparison with the daily arrivals of the boats. Women on site reported to him that the large group of men frightened them. He advised residents to avoid the port area.

Despite the blocked access routes, P&O Ferries said the crossings continued to run according to schedule. Travelers who missed their departure could take the next available ferry. The shipping company DFDS also promised affected customers a later crossing.