Masked protesters shut down Dover port in protest against Channel migrants

Hundreds of people dressed in black and wearing balaclavas brought ferry traffic at Dover to a standstill on Saturday. They blocked access roads to the port in a coordinated protest against migrants crossing the English Channel in inflatable boats.

The demonstrators chanted “Stop the boats” and “England till I die,” creating traffic jams stretching for kilometers. Police said there was no violence and made no arrests. The group’s appearance, however, made the action look unlike a conventional demonstration. Participants wore matching black clothing, used radios and carried no banners. They also refused to speak to anyone.

Some observers described the gathering as a paramilitary intimidation operation. Most of the marchers appeared to be young, while older organizers coordinated the action from electric bicycles and used walkie-talkies to tell participants where police officers were positioned.

The protest was organized by Patriot Platform, a new group founded by Daniel Thomas, who is close to far-right activist Tommy Robinson. The Telegraph reported that Thomas was sentenced to two years in prison in 2016 for attempting to kidnap a man at knifepoint with two accomplices. The group had accused the victim of stealing drugs worth £10,000, but had mistaken him for someone else.

After his release, Thomas began using the name Danny Tommo. He later attracted attention for anti-Muslim tirades at Hyde Park’s Speakers’ Corner, filming himself provoking arguments with Arabs and posting the videos online. He was arrested on one occasion. In April, he organized another protest in Dover, but called it off after only 20 people attended. Patriot Platform presents itself as a force coordinating Britain’s far-right groups, while Thomas publishes loudly patriotic statements on his website and X account.