Masked anti-immigration protesters block roads to Britain’s busiest ferry port
Black-clad demonstrators chanting ‘stop the boats’ cause 4-mile traffic jam at Dover before port access is restored; UK government condemns disruption
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LONDON (AP) — Dozens of masked anti-immigration protesters blocked roads leading to Britain’s busiest ferry port on Saturday, clogging traffic and disrupting travelers and cargo vehicles heading for France.
The UK government condemned the action, saying it went beyond peaceful protest.
The Port of Dover said Saturday morning that all traffic in and out was “stopped due to an ongoing public order incident,” and police said they were “engaging with the protesters.”
Videos posted on social media showed several dozen men in black, their faces covered, standing across a major road near the port. One clip showed demonstrators linking arms across a main road and shouting “stop the boats.”
Chris Vinson, a Conservative Party local councilor, said the protest appeared to be “illegal migration-related.”
“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,” he said.
???????? More footage of today's protest against mass illegal migration in Dover, with all exits and entrances to the town's port now blocked.
The establishment will call them 'thugs' because they have masks on (despite that simply being a necessity of not ending up in jail and… https://t.co/AHmPuycY8m
— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) September 5, 2026
The Labour Party government said, “the right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but we condemn the behavior in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused.”
“We appreciate the frustration of those who have been impacted today,” it said in a statement.
The National Highways agency said the protest blocked all routes to the port and caused a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) traffic jam.
Police were later filmed following protesters toward Dover’s railway station. P&O Ferries said just before midday that “access to the Port of Dover has now been restored.”
P&O, which runs services between Dover and Calais in France, said passengers who missed their ferry would be offered the next available crossing.
Dover, about 70 miles (110 kilometers) southeast of London, dealt with more than 9 million passengers and 2 million freight vehicles in 2025, according to the port’s website.
The town has been the site of previous anti-immigrant protests focused on migrants who cross the Channel from France in small boats. Successive UK governments have struggled to stop people — more than 40,000 last year — making the dangerous journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes.
The issue has been described as a crisis by politicians, including Nigel Farage, the leader of the hard-right party Reform UK. He branded the asylum seekers “an invasion” in a Friday speech.
The Police have now arrived at Dover and are at a stand off with what we think is Patriotic Platform members. Dover has been at a complete stand still since 7am this morning. @AyAudits_c4n is the man on the ground covering the event. pic.twitter.com/vM5IOPg2FP
— Restore Britain North Durham (@RestoreNDurham) September 5, 2026
UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s government says stepped-up law enforcement cooperation between Britain and France has helped reduce the number of people making the crossing so far this year by more than 40 percent compared to 2025.
Mike Tapp, a Labour lawmaker who represents Dover in Parliament, criticized “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,” he wrote on Facebook on Saturday. “Go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job.”
The Times of Israel Community.