A large group of individuals, described by eyewitnesses as numbering in the hundreds and dressed in black with balaclavas, blocked access roads at the Port of Dover in Kent on Saturday morning, causing significant travel disruption.
The demonstration led to the closure of the A20 in both directions, a key route to the port, resulting in delays and congestion before the protesters dispersed by lunchtime. Kent Police confirmed they were in attendance and engaging with the protest, which the Port of Dover characterised as a "public order incident." No arrests were made during the disruption.
The protest, which featured demonstrators chanting "stop the boats" and "England till I die," was condemned by the government for the behaviour of participants and the travel disruption caused. National Highways reported delays of up to 30 minutes and four miles of congestion for traffic attempting to use the A20 in and out of the port. Videos circulated on social media showed masked individuals marching in a large group on the road, with lorries stopped nearby as police cars were present.
By midday, the Port of Dover confirmed that the protesters had dispersed and access roads to the port were "free flowing" once more. Ferry operators, including DFDS and P&O Ferries, stated they would accommodate passengers who had been delayed onto the next available sailings.
Responsibility for the blockade was claimed by Patriot Platform, a group that describes itself as having "a fierce love for our homeland." The founder of the group, Danny Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, posted on social media about the event, writing "live Dover somethings [sic] happening" and sharing a live stream of the protest.
Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also reposted videos of the blockade. He highlighted a live stream that directed viewers to Patriot Platform and encouraged others to join, stating: "Get there to support them." In another post, Robinson claimed: "Simultaneously at different locations across Dover patriots have mobilised to close down the port. There are 3 plus locations that patriots have shut down so far with many more planned to be closed. People wanted action I’m guessing there are 100,000s of men willing to fill their shoes."
Eyewitnesses described a highly organised event. Nathan Ditchburn, who encountered the group around 6:45 am on his way to work, told KentOnline: "I would say there are around 300 men, maybe more. Nobody will speak; they just handed me a piece of paper to look at. They have blocked off every entrance and exit of the Dover port area."
An anonymous woman, who was attempting to travel to France by ferry and ultimately returned home due to the disruption, described her observations: "Masked teenagers in black clothes were coordinated by walkie-talkie and I directly witnessed an older man, not in black, on an electric bike – coordinating in plain sight and being applauded by the masked teenagers as he gave them the thumbs up for their ‘good work’." She further stated, "The guy on the bike then went to the nearest police stop, [he was] obviously monitoring and reporting police activity." The woman added: "There were no banners and no slogans, just pure intimidation. It was a demonstration only in the sense that they wanted to demonstrate their power and to intimidate."
The Port of Dover's earlier statement on Saturday morning confirmed that the disruption was affecting "all routes" in and out, as well as around the town itself.
Local political figures criticised the protest. Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, took to Facebook to condemn what he called "idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption," noting the cancellation of Parkrun and the port access issues. He added: "I am fed up with idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption. I bet if you asked any one of those ‘protesters’ they wouldn’t know small boat crossings are down by 40% and we are working hard to fix the mess. Go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job."
Chris Vinson, the leader of the Conservative group on Dover district council, indicated that the protest appeared to be "illegal migration-related." He also observed the lack of placards or banners and remarked on the intimidating nature of the event: "I’m not aware that there’s been any violence, although clearly, having the path of your vehicle blocked by men wearing black paramilitary gear and balaclavas is extremely intimidating, especially when it’s not clear why they’re there, and the police weren’t aware and so haven’t been able to warn people in advance and make sure that they are made to feel safe."
A Home Office spokesperson reiterated the right to peaceful protest as "fundamental to our democracy" but added: "we condemn the behaviour in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused. We appreciate the frustration of those who have been impacted today. Access to the port is now restored and traffic is flowing. Those travelling to the port are advised to allow for extra travel time and to follow guidance from providers."
Prior to the event, Danny Thomas had posted a video on 2 September, telling his followers he was meeting with "a huge group [of] top, proper patriots" to prepare for a message to the government. He stated: "Very, very soon, we are going to send a message that will make sure they understand that we will not go down without a fight. We will not allow our nation to be plagued in the way that it is." He also spoke of "building something that’s never been built before" and urged "men and women of this country...get off their asses and do something about it."
