Masked protesters block England's Dover port

Masked protesters blocked access to Dover port in southeast England on Saturday, affecting routes into and out of the terminal and causing congestion on nearby roads.

Far-right British activist Tommy Robinson said the protest opposed migrants arriving in the United Kingdom in small boats across the English Channel. “Hundreds of British men, dressed in black balaclavas, have taken to the streets of Dover to block it in protest against the invasion of our country by illegal fighting-age men who have no right to be here,” he wrote on X.

Dover port confirmed what it called a “public order incident” affecting both the port approaches and the town. Kent Police said officers were at the scene and were “interacting with the protesters.” Videos posted online showed dozens of people dressed in black and wearing balaclavas gathered near the port.

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Hundreds of British men, dressed in black balaclavas, have taken to the streets of Dover to block it in protest against the invasion of our country by illegal fighting-age men who have no right to be here.

Labour MP for Dover and Deal Mike Tapp criticized the demonstrators. “I am fed up with idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption. I bet if you asked any of those ‘protesters,’ they would not know that small-boat arrivals have fallen by 40% and that we are working to resolve the situation,” he wrote on Facebook.

The blockade affected both directions of the A20, according to National Highways, which reported about 6.4 kilometers of congestion and delays of up to 30 minutes. P&O Ferries said sailings would continue and passengers who missed their departures would be moved to the next available service. DFDS said it would accommodate passengers once they reached the port.

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I am fed up with idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption. I bet if you asked any of those ‘protesters,’ they would not know that small-boat arrivals have fallen by 40% and that we are working to resolve the situation.