The reason why masked protesters descended onto Dover on Saturday was not immediately clear.
Hundreds of men in balaclavas halt traffic in ‘anti-migrant’ protest
A fuming Labour MP has hit out at protesters who descended onto Dover in the early hours of Saturday, telling them to “get a job” in a blistering social media message. Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, criticised the ongoing protest, which has prompted major disruption to one of the UK’s largest ports and surrounding areas.
In a post on Facebook, he said: “Park run cancelled and port access disrupted. 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 crossing are down by 40% and we are working hard to fix the mess.
Masked men dressed in black blocking roads near the port of Dover (Image: SWNS)
“Go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job.”
Mr Tapp also said he was in contact with the police.
The number of boats used to make the journey has fallen since previous years. However, recent reports suggest the smuggling gangs responsible for crossings have started to load more people on to fewer, larger vessels. A total of 7,371 people crossed the Channel over the summer months, according to Home Office data, lower than any year since 2020, when 3,307 made the journey between June and August.
Kent Police officers said in a post on X earlier this morning they are “engaging” with protesters at the Port of Dover. It read: “We are aware of a protest currently taking place at the Port of Dover. Officers are in attendance and engaging with protesters.”
The reason masked protesters have taken to the streets was not immediately clear, with the demonstrators seemingly carrying no banners or placards as they stood in the middle of the roads near the port.
Videos circulating online show dozens of men dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, gathered (Image: SWNS)
Mr Tapp’s message suggested the protest is linked to illegal immigration, as did Reform UK councillor Paul King, who on Facebook wrote the protest was “not the way to stop the boats”.
Mr King pointed instead at the “new entente cordiale” struck by Nigel Farage and France’s right-wing National Rally party president Jordan Bardella on Friday, in which they pledged to work together to stop the boat crossing the Channel.
Similarly, councillor Chris Vinson, leader of the Conservative group and member for Walmer on Dover District Council, said the protest appeared to be “illegal migration-related”, but stressed that the demonstrators do not appear to have placards or banners.
He said: “Overnight, clearly what appears to be several hundred masked men wearing black clothing and balaclavas seem to have co-ordinated and loaded into rental vans and then descended on roads leading in and out of Dover with the intent to block them, and that’s what they’ve successfully done, and it’s brought the town to a standstill.
It was not immediately clear what the protesters were demanding (Image: SWNS)
“There are stacks of people who are stuck in their cars or in their workplaces as a result.”
He added: “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.
“I know people who have worked night shifts in the port who are being prevented from leaving for fears for their safety.
“Women who are in cars feeling intimidated, people stuck in traffic – who obviously are without toilet facilities – queues way back on the A20 and the other approach roads into Dover.”
The Express has contacted Kent Police and Port of Dover police for comment.