Police slow to respond to Dover protest, says council boss

Dover District Council's Kevin Mills has criticized the police's slow response to a well-organized protest that halted port operations for hours. On Saturday, hundreds of masked protesters blocked roads, causing traffic jams and preventing access to the port. Kent Police has not commented on the incident, but cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds stated that officers dealt with it swiftly.

Mills expressed disappointment with the police's handling, noting that the protesters knew what they were doing and the police did not seem to anticipate the situation. He emphasized the need for a post-event review. The Labour councillor also highlighted that the council received complaints from villagers in Preston who were inconvenienced by protesters parking their vehicles there.

Kent Police's response to the demonstration's organizers remains undisclosed, with the protest lasting from 07:00 BST to around 11:30. Anti-hate organization Hope Not Hate alleged that the Patriot Platform network orchestrated the event. Demonstrants remained silent to the media, but some expressed frustration at the situation. Far-right activists Tommy Robinson and Danny Thomas praised the protesters, attributing their success to discipline and sticking to a plan.

Reynolds dismissed Robinson and others as people exploiting their online following and taking money from followers. Great Yarmouth MP and leader of Restore Britain, Rupert Lowe, supported the peaceful protesters against illegal immigration in Dover, stating that wearing balaclavas was undesirable but perfectly acceptable in the current climate.