Masked anti-migrant protesters block UK's Dover terminal
Chanting "stop the boats" and wearing balaclavas, the demonstrators blocked traffic at the UK's busiest international ferry port.
On Saturday, an estimated 100 masked protesters took control of the port of Dover, England, disrupting ferry traffic between France and the UK. The demonstrators, wearing balaclavas, chanted "stop the boats" in reference to refugees and migrants attempting the dangerous English Channel crossing. Despite a 40% decrease in crossings from January to August 2026 compared to the previous year, the far-right Reform UK party has used the perceived threat of migrant boats as a rallying cry.
Police stated they were engaging with protesters, and normal traffic resumed at the port after several hours. Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government condemned the behavior in Dover and the resulting travel disruption, emphasizing the importance of the right to peaceful protest. Migrant crossings have significantly reduced under Burnham and his predecessor Keir Starmer, largely due to enhanced cooperation with French authorities.
Dover, the UK's largest international ferry port, handles around 15,000 passengers daily during the summer and accounts for more than a third of the UK's trade goods with the European Union.
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