Hundreds of masked anti-migrant protesters brought traffic into Dover to a standstill before a second demonstration in Portsmouth, where activists confronted police during the arrival of about 140 people rescued from a small boat in the Channel.
The Dover protest on Saturday blocked roads leading to one of Britain’s busiest ferry ports, disrupting passengers, freight traffic and local residents. National Highways reported congestion stretching for about four miles.
Many of those taking part wore black clothing and balaclavas, while carrying English and Union flags. Protesters chanted “stop the boats” and “Christ is king” as they obstructed access to the port.
The Port of Dover said all traffic in and out had been stopped because of an ongoing public order incident. Kent Police said officers were engaging with protesters and described the gathering as spontaneous. No arrests were made.
Dover’s town mayor, Bekah Dawes, said the disruption had prevented residents from travelling home after work, attending local events and opening businesses on time. She said the masked demonstrators appeared to have planned their arrival in advance and had intimidated people in the town.
The protest was claimed by Patriot Platform, a recently formed far-right network led by Daniel Thomas, who is also known online as Danny Tommo. Thomas, an anti-migrant campaigner and associate of Tommy Robinson, praised supporters in a post on X, saying they had “stuck to the plan” and that “a message was sent”.
Thomas has previously been jailed over his involvement in an attempted kidnapping. He also claimed lawyers had been available to advise activists during the Dover demonstration, although Kent Police has not commented on that allegation.
Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, questioned why police appeared to have had little warning of the action. He said he would ask whether intelligence had been missed and whether additional officers could be brought in more quickly if the port was targeted again.
The Government condemned the disruption while reaffirming the right to lawful protest. A spokesperson said: “The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy … we condemn the behaviour in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused.”
Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, also criticised the demonstration, calling it “disgusting” and saying people taking part in political protests should not appear in balaclavas.
Portsmouth protest follows Channel rescue
On Sunday, hundreds of protesters gathered in Portsmouth after a large inflatable boat carrying about 140 people was intercepted off the Hampshire coast.
HM Coastguard deployed lifeboats, a helicopter, an aircraft and rescue teams during the operation. The people rescued from the boat were brought ashore before being taken by coach to Manston in Kent for initial processing.
Videos from the scene showed protesters confronting police and attempting to obstruct the buses. Officers formed lines to keep the crowd away from those being transported.
Thomas livestreamed from Portsmouth and urged supporters to travel to the city. Cabinet minister Emma Reynolds condemned the scenes as “thuggish and intimidating behaviour”.
The weekend’s events have intensified scrutiny of the authorities’ response to anti-migrant demonstrations, particularly after the Dover blockade was described by police as spontaneous despite Patriot Platform later claiming responsibility.
Dover has become a focal point in the political dispute over small-boat crossings from France. More than 40,000 people made the journey in 2025, while government figures show arrivals were down by about 43 per cent in the first eight months of 2026 compared with the same period a year earlier.
The demonstrations underline the continuing political pressure on the Labour Government over migration, even as the number of Channel crossings has fallen. Ministers have pledged to maintain cooperation with France and tighten enforcement, while far-right activists have continued to use arrivals as a rallying point.
