Masked anti-migrant protesters disrupt UK’s Dover port

Masked protesters disrupted access to the Port of Dover in southern England on Saturday, briefly halting traffic between France and the UK. The port's spokesperson stated that traffic was flowing freely again around noon, following the protest that began in the morning. No arrests were made, and the protest appeared to have been dispersed by local police.

The demonstrators, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, blocked all routes in and out of the terminal, chanting "stop the boats." The issue of small-boat crossings from the Channel has been a contentious topic in Britain, with the hard-right gaining popularity due to growing anti-immigration sentiment. The Labour government has noted the lowest number of migrant and asylum-seeking boats crossing the Channel since 2019, partly due to cooperation deals with France.

While there were no reports of violence, several local politicians criticized the balaclava-clad protest as intimidating. Far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson backed the protest, stating it was a warning shot to the establishment. One affected passenger reported being stuck on a boat in Dunkirk for over an hour and a half. The Port of Dover handles over 10,000 freight vehicles and 15,000 passenger vehicles daily, accounting for a third of Britain's goods trade with the EU.