Masked men block traffic at UK’s Dover port amid anti-immigrant tensions

A group of masked men blocked the entrance to Britain’s busiest ferry port on Saturday (September 5, 2026). Police said they were “engaging with the protesters.” The Port of Dover said all traffic in and out “is stopped due to an ongoing public order incident.” Footage on social media showed several dozen men in black, their faces covered, standing across a major road near the port.

It was not immediately clear what they were demanding.

The National Highways agency said the protests caused a 6.4-kilometre traffic jam, causing delays of up to 45 minutes.

P&O Ferries, which runs services between Dover and Calais in France, said its boats were running on schedule, and passengers who missed their ferry would be offered the next available crossing.

Dover, about 110 kilometres southeast of London, has been the site of previous anti-immigrant protests focused on migrants who cross the Channel from France in small boats. Some politicians, including Nigel Farage of hard-right party Reform UK, have seized on the issue. He branded the asylum seekers “an invasion” in a speech on Friday (September 4).

The Labour Party government says stepped-up law enforcement cooperation between Britain and France has helped reduce the number of people making the crossing this year by more than 40% compared to 2025.

Mike Tapp, a Labour lawmaker who represents Dover in Parliament, criticised “idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption. I bet if you asked any one of those protesters, they wouldn’t know small boat crossing are down by 40% and we are working hard to fix the mess,” he wrote on Facebook on Saturday (September 5). “Go home, enjoy your weekend/get a job.” he added.