Hundreds of protesters dressed in black blocked access to the main port of the English Channel and demanded that the Government take stronger measures against arrivals in small boats
The Port of Dover described the situation as a “public order incident” and stated that it was in constant contact with Kent Police. Ferry operators reported that passengers who missed their connections would be transferred to the next available services. Access to the port began to normalize throughout the day.
The port of Dover, one of the main connection points between the United Kingdom and continental Europe, was partially blocked this Saturday by a protest against illegal immigration. Hundreds of people, many of them dressed entirely in black and with their faces covered, formed human barriers at the access points and caused significant disruptions to traffic.
The protesters chanted slogans such as “Stop the boats” and “Send them back”, referring to the boats of illegal immigrants that cross the English Channel from France to the British shores daily.
The main plan of the protesters was to stop the English authorities who allow the entry of thousands of illegal immigrants without any checks.
The protest concentrated on the access roads to the port and forced the authorities to intervene. The A20 road was blocked in both directions, leading to a congestion of approximately 6.4 kilometers, while emergency services and police worked to restore traffic.
The mobilization reflects the growing discontent in certain sectors of British society regarding illegal immigration. Dover is on the front line of the crisis due to its proximity to France and because it is where part of the people crossing the Channel in small boats arrive and are processed.
The debate on how to respond to these crossings intensified again this week. The Reform UK party, led by Nigel Farage, and the French National Rally agreed on a plan aimed at curbing arrivals and facilitating the return of asylum seekers to France.
The Dover protest demonstrates that immigration remains one of the most sensitive issues in British politics. For its organizers, blocking the port aims to send a direct message to the Government: effective border control must become a national priority.
