'Protest' at Port of Dover causes delays to ferry services as masked men descend on the town

Dozens of masked anti-immigration protesters blocked roads leading to Britain's busiest ferry port, the Port of Dover, on Saturday, causing traffic congestion and disruptions for travelers and cargo vehicles bound for France. The government condemned the action, deeming it beyond peaceful protest. The port reported all traffic "stopped due to an ongoing public order incident" and police were engaging with the protesters.

Social media footage showed a group of men in black, faces covered, standing across a major road near the port and linking arms, shouting "stop the boats." Local councillor Chris Vinson described the protest as "illegal migration-related," noting the intimidating nature of the masked individuals. Labour Party government officials condemned the behavior in Dover and the resulting travel disruption, acknowledging the frustration of those affected.

The National Highways agency reported the protest blocked all routes to the port, causing a 6.4km traffic jam. Police were later seen escorting protesters towards Dover's railway station. Ferry company P&O Ferries stated that access to the Port of Dover had been restored by midday, offering alternative crossings for passengers missing their ferries.

The port, handling over nine million passengers and two million freight vehicles in 2025, has seen previous anti-immigrant protests focused on migrants crossing from France in small boats. Successive UK governments have faced challenges in stopping these dangerous journeys, with over 40,000 attempted crossings in the previous year.

The issue has been portrayed as a crisis by politicians, including Reform UK's Nigel Farage, who referred to asylum seekers as an "invasion" in a recent speech. Prime Minister Andy Burnham's government attributes a 40% reduction in crossings this year compared to 2025 to increased law enforcement cooperation between Britain and France.

Labour lawmaker Mike Tapp criticized the protesters, stating they were "idiots" causing disruption and questioning their knowledge of the reduced small boat crossings and government efforts to address the issue.