UK gov’t condemns masked anti-immigrant protesters blocking Dover port

What the report says

Masked anti-immigration protesters briefly blocked access to the Port of Dover in southeast England on Saturday, disrupting ferry traffic between Britain and France, according to Al Jazeera’s report based on AFP and AP. Images and livestreams shared online showed dozens of people dressed in black and wearing balaclavas gathering on roads around the port and chanting “stop the boats” while police stood nearby.

The Port of Dover said all traffic in and out was stopped because of a public order incident, before later reporting that movement had resumed and access was free flowing again. P&O Ferries also confirmed that the port was accessible once more. Police said they were engaging with the protesters after routes into the terminal were blocked, and the National Highways agency said the action caused a 6.4-kilometre traffic jam.

The UK government condemned the disruption, saying the right to peaceful protest is important but that the conduct in Dover went beyond that and had affected travel. A local Conservative councillor described the scene as intimidating. The protest comes amid continuing political tensions over Channel migrant crossings, an issue that has fuelled debate in Britain and been seized on by hard-right parties. Dover is the country’s largest international ferry port and a major route for goods and passengers.