Anti-immigration Protestors Block Dover, UK’s Busiest Ferry Port
Operations at the UK’s busiest international ferry and passenger port, Dover, were for the better part of Saturday, September 5, disrupted after hundreds of masked protestors blocked access. The marchers said they were pushing the government to stop illegal immigrant crossings at the English Channel.
In protests that were largely condemned by the government, hundreds of demonstrators dressed in black and wearing balaclavas caused major disruptions to ferry operations after they blocked access to the Port of Dover.
For the better part of the morning, the anti-immigration protestors blocked all traffic in and out of the port, leading to disruptions to ferry services including scheduled services for operators including P&O Ferries and DFDS. The Port of Dover described the blockade as a “public order incident,” that occurred in the morning before normal operations resumed around noon.
“We thank our customers and local community for their patience whilst the police managed the public order incident,” said the port in a statement.
With video footage circulating online showing large numbers of protesters, it emerged the protests were aimed to push the government to stop the English Channel crossings. They can be heard chanting of “stop the boats.”
A group by the name Patriot Platform claimed responsibility for organizing the blockade, which was widely condemned by the government. Notably, the Kent Police termed the blockade as a “spontaneous protest” but they did not make any arrests after all the protestors dispersed by midday. The police later came in for criticism as well for what many people viewed as a slow response.
Mike Tapp, the Labour MP for Dover and Deal, condemned the protest, stating that they were unnecessary considering that small boats crossings at the English Channel are down by over 40 percent this year.
“Dover Park Run cancelled, port access disrupted, the lives of residents made more difficult. I am fed up with idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption,” he wrote on social media. “A clearly coordinated protest is not ‘spontaneous’ as described by police. We can and must do better.”
Access to the Port of Dover was restricted during the protest. The Port of Dover is the UK's busiest international ferry and passenger port, handling more than nine million passengers by road and two million freight vehicles last year.
The Dover protests come just days after the UK government, working in partnership with the French, said it was winning the battle against the dangerous small boat crossings following a significant decline in arrivals this year.
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“We are making progress, with the number of small boat crossings down this year and the lowest number recorded for the month of July since 2020,” said a Home Office spokesperson.
Government data show that since the beginning of January and end of August this year, a total of approximately 17,000 people crossed the Channel in small boats, a 43 percent decline compared to the same period in 2025. Joint efforts with the French have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the Labor government took office.
