Dover protest as hundreds of masked men stop access to port as MP says 'get a job'

Dover protest as hundreds of masked men stop access to port as MP says 'get a job' Hundreds of masked protesters blocked access to the Port of Dover for around hours on Saturday morning, causing major disruption for people travelling by ferry Hundreds of "stop the boats" protesters, dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, blocked access to the Port of Dover, causing chaos for holidaymakers and lorry drivers. Traffic in and out of the port was brought to a standstill for around three hours on Saturday morning after the group blocked the two main approach roads, the A20 and A2. Protesters also spray-painted the words "blood is on your hands" on the ground outside a migrant processing facility. Sharing footage of his car being surrounded by masked protesters near the Port of Dover, motorist Toby Mackenzie said on social media: "People dressed in black surrounding my car, pretty much left me fearing for my life." P&O Ferries warned that access to the port was restricted and said that anyone who missed their ferry would be able to board the next available service. The Government condemned the protesters' "behaviour" and the "travel disruption" caused by the demonstration. Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, branded the protesters "idiots", telling them to "go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job". He added: "I bet if you asked any one of those 'protesters' they wouldn’t know small boat crossings are down by 40%." Home Office figures show that 7,416 people crossed the English Channel by small boat between June 1 and August 30 - the lowest number for the period since 2020. Between January 1 and September 1, 16,513 people arrived in the UK by small boat - down 43 per cent on the same period last year. Key Events Thanks for staying with us. That's the end of our live coverage of this event. An associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson has appeared to take credit for the demonstration in Dover earlier today. Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, shared footage from the protest in a post on social media, saying: "This is our warning." Campaign group Hope Not Hate linked the action to the Patriot Platform, which Tommo recently launched. He describes the platform as the "resistance standing against the downfall of the United Kingdom". Hope Not Hate also refers to Tommo as Robinson's "right-hand man". Sharing a video of protesters marching on Instagram, Tommo wrote: "It’s time! Protect our country! And more importantly our women and children! This is our warning!" Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also weighed in on X where he suggested the protest was part of a co-ordinated plan. He wrote: "Simultaneously at different locations across Dover patriots have mobilised to close down the port." According to National Highways, the A20 eastbound between M20 J13, near Folkestone, and the A2 for Port of Dover, is still closed following protest activity today. The carriageway is closed as barrier crews have been requested to replace a central reservation barrier that was removed without authorisation, it said. Eastbound entry slip roads at Hawkinge (A260) and Courtwood (B2011) are also closed. Traffic is able to enter and leave the Port of Dover via the A2 Jubilee Way and road users are encouraged to use this route into Dover. Traffic eastbound from the M20 J13 is being diverted via local routes. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has slammed protesters in Dover today, saying he "deplored" demonstrators wearing masks. He told the BBC: "You should not be allowed to be masked-up, balaclavaed-up and go out and protest on the streets of our country. "It is wrong at every level. So I deplore what is happening in Dover today." Port of Dover earlier confirmed that "operations have returned to normal" following this morning's protest. A port spokesperson added: "All routes in and out of the port and the town are now open and traffic is moving freely. We thank our customers and local community for their patience whilst the police managed the public order incident." In a statement, Kent Police said officers "responded to a spontaneous protest in Dover" this morning. The force added: "No arrests were made. Traffic is flowing normally, and all involved had dispersed by midday." Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, has expressed concern about why police appeared to be unaware of the protest. He told the Press Association: "I can’t speculate on police intelligence, etc, but I can tell you what I see, and there’s no way that wasn’t co-ordinated. "It’s co-ordinated in the fact that they’ve all arrived at the same place at the same time, wearing the same clothes." It comes after policing and crime commentator Danny Shaw told Sky News that "serious questions" are likely to be asked of police and port officials about whether they had prior knowledge of the protest. He said: "It should not be that easy to cause disruption on that scale... If they didn't know, why didn't they know?" A protester covering the demonstration with a livestream on YouTube says claims that the protest would last three days came from him and were a "wind-up". Asked "who said it was three days", he said: "The Old Bill was watching the stream. I kept telling them it's going to be for three days and there's another wave coming in to wind them up." The Government has condemned the "behaviour" of masked protesters who blocked the Port of Dover. A Government spokesperson said: "The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but we condemn the behaviour in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused. "We appreciate the frustration of those who have been impacted today. Access to the port is now restored and traffic is flowing. Those travelling to the port are advised to allow for extra travel time and to follow guidance from providers. "We thank policing partners and travel providers who we continue to work with to ensure the safety of passengers and the wider community." Videos from the scene showed protesters linking arms in a blockade across the A20, shouting "stop the boats", while others could be seen marching along the A-road, chanting: "England 'til I die." Small boat crossings into the UK have fallen to their seasonal lowest since 2020, according to new Home Office data released on Wednesday. Home Office statistics show that 7,416 people arrived in the UK by small boat between June 1 and August 30 - the lowest number for the period since 2020. There were 15,458 arrivals over the same period in 2022, when the Tories were in government. Between January 1 and September 1, 16,513 people arrived in the UK by small boat - down 43 per cent on the same period last year. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood said on X on Tuesday: "This Government is committed to restoring order at our border. This work is beginning to bear fruit, with June, July and August recording the lowest number of small boat crossings in seven years. "But we know there is more to do. We will be relentless in targeting the criminal gangs behind these crossings, and we will continue to remove the incentives that draw people here on unsafe and illegal routes." Pictures from Dover appear to show the words "blood is on your hands" spray-painted on the ground outside a migrant processing facility. In a livestream from one of the protesters, it was claimed that protesters are planning to blockade the port for at least three days. Port of Dover has said approach roads are now "free flowing". Access to the port via the M2/A2 had been partially restored by 10.30am, while the M20/A20 remained blocked, according to a post on X by P&O Ferries. Councillor Chris Vinson, the leader of the Conservative opposition at Dover District Council, told the Press Association that while he was not aware of any violence, "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". He added: "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.” Cllr Vinson added that police were not aware of the protest and were therefore unable to warn people in advance. Councillor Chris Vinson, the leader of the Conservative opposition at Dover District Council, said the protest appears to be "illegal migration-related", but added that the protesters do not appear to have placards or banners. He told the Press Association: "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. "There are stacks of people who are stuck in their cars or in their workplaces as a result." Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp has reiterated his frustration with what he called "idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption", telling protesters: "Go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job." In a statement to the Mirror, he said: "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 crossings are down by 40%. Go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job. I’m in contact with the police." On Tuesday, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced that small boat crossings were at their lowest level in seven years this summer. Home Office figures show that 7,416 people arrived in the UK by small boat between June 1 and August 30 - the lowest number for the period since 2020. There were 15,458 arrivals over the same period in 2022, when the Tories were in government. Meanwhile, the number of small boats reaching the UK in June, July and August this year fell by 46 per cent compared with the same period last year. Port of Dover said in a post on X that access has been partially restored, with traffic now able to reach the port via the M2/A2, while access from the M20/A20 remains restricted. It added that its "services are operating with some delay". Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp has told the BBC that the incident is causing "absolutely awful disruption" for residents. "My understanding is a number of individuals have travelled to the area, wearing black, wearing balaclavas, and have blocked a number of roads leading into the port area," he said. Ferry operator DFDS said in a post on X that passengers affected by the "current traffic disruption" near the Port of Dover will be able to take the next departure when they arrive. Protesters have not confirmed why they are demonstrating, nor has it been confirmed who organised the protest. However, Paul King, a Reform UK councillor for Dover West, said he has been told the demonstration is a "stop the boats protest". According to KentOnline, motorist Toby Mackenzie said in a post on social media: "People dressed in black surrounding my car, pretty much left me fearing for my life." Protesters have claimed that around 500 people are taking part in the demonstration at the Port of Dover. Witnesses have put the figure at around 300. We are awaiting further information from Kent Police. The Port of Calais has said ships are still being loaded "for the time being", but departures are delayed. A spokesperson for the French port told Sky News: "For the time being, the shipping companies are loading the vessels. Departures are delayed. We'll see how things develop depending on what happens in Dover." There have been angry reactions to the protest on X, with one person calling it "intimidation targeting the wrong people". Mike Tapp, the MP for Dover and Deal, said in a post on X that he is "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 crossings are down by 40%," he added. Port of Dover has said the "ongoing public order incident" is affecting all routes in and out of the port and town. In a statement, it added: "We are in contact with Kent Police to understand the situation. "This situation is impacting our local community and our customers, so of course we are hoping for a swift resolution."