London, Sept 5: A group of masked men blocked the entrance to Britain’s busiest ferry port in Dover on Saturday, disrupting traffic and prompting police to engage with the protesters.
The Port of Dover said all traffic in and out of the port had been halted due to an ongoing public order incident.
Videos circulating on social media showed several dozen men dressed in black, with their faces covered, standing across a major road near the port. Their demands were not immediately clear.
The National Highways agency said the protest resulted in a 6.4-kilometre traffic jam, with delays of up to 45 minutes.
P&O Ferries, which operates services between Dover and Calais in France, said its sailings were running on schedule. Passengers who missed their ferries would be offered the next available crossing, the company said.
Dover, located around 110 kilometres southeast of London, has previously witnessed anti-immigrant protests over migrants crossing the English Channel from France in small boats.
The issue has also been highlighted by politicians, including Nigel Farage of Reform UK, who described asylum seekers as an “invasion” during a speech on Friday.
The Labour government said increased law-enforcement cooperation between Britain and France had helped reduce Channel crossings by more than 40 per cent this year compared with 2025.
Mike Tapp, the Labour MP representing Dover, criticised the protesters for causing disruption.
He said on Facebook that small-boat crossings were down by 40 per cent and accused the protesters of ignoring efforts to address the issue.
