Masked black-clad protesters block Port of Dover roads

newsSep 5, 2026865,378

Dozens of men dressed in black and wearing balaclavas blocked the A20 into and out of the Port of Dover this morning, forcing closures in both directions while Kent police attended and engaged with the group. National Highways said the disruption caused delays of up to 30 minutes and four miles of congestion as lorries queued beside police cars. Videos shared online show demonstrators linking arms across the A20, marching and chanting “stop the boats” and “England till I die.” The port reported partial access restored via the M2 and A2 by 10.30am, while the M20 and A20 routes remained blocked, P&O Ferries said. A group calling itself Patriot Platform appeared to claim responsibility and its founder Danny Thomas posted a livestream; far-right activist Tommy Robinson reposted footage and urged people to join. The Press Association described the turnout as dozens, while a livestreamer claimed hundreds; Kent police have not given an official headcount and the government condemned the participants’ behaviour.

Lee Hurley

@hleehurley.com

As gangs of masked men block Dover port, I will just leave this here www.theguardian.com/environment/...

195945d ago

Climate News27

Double standard policing. Climate protestors trying to save our lives? Arrested before even blocking traffic. Fascists trying to burn us all down? Nothing @georgemonbiot.bsky.social @owenjones.bsky.social @davidrvetter.bsky.social

Jane 🏊‍♀️🚴🏻🏃‍♀️🌻25

From now on all my protest signs will include the words "legitimate concerns"

Paul Carnahan21

I'm sure all the 'two-tier policing' guys will have plenty to say about this...

kevruth.bsky.social18

And this! Modern day policing: the activity of picking on easy, vulnerable targets which offer little threat rather than tackle thugs with history of violence against women bsky.app/profile/defe...

Jamie Alice10

At this point, any form of climate activism is self-defence

Excalibur Discount Legal Services9

I don't think you understand. Some people were late for their daily scheduled production of goods and services. Certainly this warrants five years in prison.

Quoting this

Why is a woman still not safe5

Absolutely horrific to see Labour parties, wherever in the world, welcoming fascism through the front door. With friends like these #auspol

Dropped Mike5

yeah but those guys are doing protest the right way

Michelle4

Planning. They didn’t block the m25 they made a plan. Compare and contrast to today. One is some pricks who we keep getting told have “legitimate concerns” and the other are people who have actual concerns for the state of this fucking planet. Fuck this government.

Thérèse4

Yeh but goin to forrin cuontries isnt like your van gettin stuck on the way to a job 2 miles round the M25 innit.

The Original Cry-Wanker™3

Fucking doubters. Our "Northern" Prime Minister is planning, as we skeet, to equivocate

Geert van Boxtel3

Net als in ons land worden de Engelse nazi's die de haven van Dover blokkeren niet opgepakt, maar klimaatactivisten wel.

Johnedd3

And we reckon it's only the USA that's broken

Steve Peers

@stevepeers.bsky.social

Kent police said 'no arrests were made' of the people who blocked a port and roads. There's your two-tier policing, folks www.bbc.co.uk/news/live/cm...

149445d ago

ayowhose.bsky.social197

Police intel is good enough to allow pre-emptive raids on young women in Quaker meeting houses but mysteriously lacking when it comes to balaclava’d thugs blocking transport infrastructure. Funny that. 🙄 news.sky.com/story/ridicu...

Ian Hamilton70

"No arrests were made". Remember that the next time Just Stop Oil protesters are hauled away in handcuffs.

Richard Barfield62

Public nuisance and conspiracy to cause public nuisance were used against protesters who blocked the M25. Presumably the same should apply here.

Sophie Mac48

Imagine if they were climate activists! They'd have arrested 300 people at least

Paul Russell46

Also encouragement for them to do it again, now they know there will be no consequences.

Neil Henty25

I mean, imagine if they were a group of people wanting to stop the world from burning through climate change. I wonder if Kent Police would be as relaxed. 🤷‍♂️

Quoting this

Patrick - Here for the craic❗️🤷🏼‍♂️😉119

Let’s just imagine for a few moments that they were Asian, Black, Middle Eastern who turned up and effectively blockaded Dover Port.. Now imagine MSM outrage, the inflammatory headlines and rhetoric, the Tories, Reform etc. The “pure cold rage” It’s two tier reporting as well as policing

Marc Morris28

What if one of them turns out to be a retired vicar?

JWexTheSpa28

It is a matter of fact that had it been Just Stop Oil or Palestine Action there would have been mass arrests. Why are the British state and the UK government so scared of overweight, thick as pigshit, middle aged fascists?

Dragonrider "Is he dead yet?" 🐠🐟 Try/Me 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️16

No arrests today anyway. Historical statistical data shows 30% will have previous convictions for domestic abuse though...

River Cavy ♿️11

That is a fucking MOB!

John O'Connell10

Questions need to be asked of Kent Police why not a single arrest was made. If they were Environmental Protestors blocking traffic, the jails would be full from Dover to Maidstone and beyond.

Steve Chambers8

'Ah yes, but number is smaller number now' says Labour spokesperson sagely. They don't care about the numbers. They don't care about the boats. They just want to be menacing violent thugs and you have given permission for it.

John Foot7

So it’s ok to block roads if you are dressed in black and have a mask?

Rouleur7

Imagine the arrests if it had been a Union on strike, JSO or Grannies for Palestine. Spineless from Kent Police. Mind, Coppers don't like fighting those they agree with & who can fight back.

Larky McRory 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇪🇺5

Either the police support them or are frightened of them. Neither bodes well for the future.

Aurelien Mondon

@aurelmondon.com

We have reached the fascist militia stage of mainstreaming and this emboldening is a direct consequence of mainstream elite treating far-right politics as "legitimate grievance" rather than tackling them head on www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

24145d ago

Miles17

"...when it's not clear why they're there..." It's very clear why they're there: to frighten and intimidate, or to "terrorise", if you will

Lady Macbeth12

The dangerous bit isn’t just the balaclavas. It’s how quickly ‘masked men in black blocking a major port’ gets translated into ‘legitimate grievance’. That euphemism is doing a hell of a lot of work.

Jelmer Evers5

Same thing happening in the Netherlands. Dutch media is not good (putting it nicely)

David Kuhne4

‘A group called Patriot Platform, which styles itself as having “a fierce love for our homeland”’ Homeland is a Nazi word. It’s bad when Americans use it. It’s bad when cowardly masked British thugs use it

joczechowska.bsky.social3

Treat them like they would treat Just Stop Oil

Person 232

I don't often find myself sympathising with the police, but I'd imagine negotiating with people who've no actual thoughts will be immensely taxing.

Quoting this

So Mayer66

Also note the bit of this article where the Guardian simply allow the Reform spokesfascist to UNCHALLENGED make a spurious slide from "Women in town feel threatened by this group of masked fascists" to an equivalence that makes refugees responsible for both the threat AND the protest against them.

Richy Craven19

Ah yes, the famous white plaintiffs of Dover.

Where Seagulls Dare18

All I'm saying is, the kindly Vladimir Ilyich would know what to do.

Peter McCandless3

They will piss off one group at least. People trying to travel to or through Dover Port.

Luke Parks2

Good thing they're not elderly vicars holding placards or they'd be looking at 14 years inside.

Ben Goldsborough MP

@bengoldsborough.bsky.social

This is not patriotism. It is intimidation. Hundreds of masked men in black storming Dover Port, blocking nationally critical infrastructure and chanting “I’m England until I die” is a disgrace.

23645d ago

Ben Goldsborough MP64

These people have no legitimate concerns that justify this behaviour. You do not love your country by terrorising residents, disrupting vital infrastructure and costing our economy millions.

Linda Allen20

It is terrorism. Give Burnham a prod to address this rather than vicars carrying placards.

La Reine des Metaphores11

Thank you for saying this. It also needs saying loud and clear from the PM and the Home Secretary

His Royal Huwness 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿🐸🇵🇸🇪🇺10

And far closer to terrorism than what any one campaigning against genocide was charged/jailed for. This "Labour" govt are a disgrace to their name, heritage and the old boast of us standing alone against fascism.

batsfordio.bsky.social9

No arrests. No. Arrests. 🤯

Hughster7

Thank you. But if Burnham doesn't come out and say the same when this stuff happens you'll end up back in the same position as you were in June

Quoting this

Pete Fraser12

I’ve got a lot of time for any Labour MP who’ll accurately call out this behaviour. Shame on the party leadership for their silence.

Clay Harris 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 💉💉💉💉💉💉💉💉 😷7

One Labour MP, at least, calls it what it is. I hope he doesn't lose the whip for speaking the obvious truth.

Kevin7

The Blackshirts are back then with their legitimate questions. Cockroaches need stamping on as soon as they appear 🤷🏻‍♂️

Tarik Abou-Chadi

@tabouchadi.bsky.social

“Protesters“ - The UK would do well to learn what the Sturmabteilung was and did. Because that‘s what‘s happening. But the idea is still fascists are the people we beat 80 years ago. Of course not an ideology anyone ever supported in the Britain. www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

10744d ago

C🅰️S Ⓜ️UDDE

@casmudde.bsky.social

Image what would have happened if it had been a group of grannies protesting genocide in Gaza…

9945d ago

Roland Mathijssen4

Or a group of peaceful climate protesters www.theguardian.com/environment/...

FionainLU1

Hundreds would have been arrested and tried on terrorism charges. Their barristers would have been instructed by the judge not to put forward a meaningful defence on their behalf and they would have been sentenced as terrorists. The 1945 Labour government members must be turning in their graves.

Carlton Reid

@carltonreid.com

Presumably they will all be charged with terrorism offences. Or is that just for pro-Palestinians and climate protestors? www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...

8745d ago

Carlton Reid35

Police are just “engaging” with Nazis? Yesterday police raided the home of 84-year-old climate protestor and retired priest Reverend Sue Parfitt. www.facebook.com/JustStopOil/...

Nick Langley5

This is Kent remember. From my experience of opposing NF marches in the 1970s, the police would have been lined up beside them, using their truncheons against the counter-protest.

Quoting this

No Sheds7

Fight age men. Roming the streets of Dover. Breaking the law. I'm sure Nige will be organising a protest against this really soon. Right Nige?

paulusthewoodgnome

@paulusthewoodgnome.bsky.social

Spontaneous??? Fuck off. 'Kent Police, which made no arrests, described it as a "spontaneous" protest.' www.bbc.co.uk/news/article...

8944d ago

Marc de Berner4

This group held a Warwickshire training canp a few weeks ago.

ItsHotOutThere3

Well, i agree with this. bsky.app/profile/ncdo...

puchmahoin.bsky.social2

What happened to intelligence gathering, they could have been coming to blow up the port of Dover.

julrose.bsky.social2

They all just happened to turn up at the same time, dressed in black with matching balaclavas.

Kat Meow2

Spontaneous my furry butt! 😾

big-cat-diesel.bsky.social1

They were bussed in by all accounts. Die-hard Danny Tommo fans. Fuck me. Tommeeee will be disappointed, he’s loosing his crew!

Tristan Grayford

@tristangrayford.scot

In a brief statement, Kent police said: “We are aware of a protest currently taking place at the Port of Dover. Officers are in attendance and engaging with protesters” That's what anti-genocide and climate change protesters get given the right to. Engagement. Funny how no one here says "terrorist"

7645d ago

nlwa.bsky.social

@nlwa.bsky.social

We had a paramilitary force at the Port of Dover this morning, reminiscent of the streets of Belfast in the troubles. UK security services failed badly and Plod made a token gesture with ZERO arrests! Grandmothers at Palestine marches or Just Stop Oil protesters have been jailed for less. WTF

6345d ago

Quoting this

TheIrishCommentator2

All of britain will end up like the north of Ireland during The Troubles if Reform get into power.

Mark Thompson

@markreckons.bsky.social

No arrests made. I'm not surprised. After all... Some of those that work forces are the same that burn crosses.

Disruption at Port of Dover as masked 'stop the boats' protesters block roads

The government says it condemns "the behaviour in Dover" and the hours-long disruption it caused.

5944d ago

LiLBaz

@lilbazza.bsky.social

"The right to pesceful protest is fundamental to our democracy" if you're a masked man who's a member of a racist fascist paramilitary. Not so much if you're a frail older woman who peacefully objects to children being vaporised with the assistance of munitions components made on British soil

A Home Office 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."

3845d ago

Snigdha

@snig.bsky.social

Andy Burnham took the time to share what his 3 fave London pubs were/are. But a bunch of masked racist far right activists gather to disrupt the Port of Dover and all we get is a weak statement from the government. 3 pubs: www.timeout.com/london/news/...

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The Labour Party government said “the right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but we condemn the behavior in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused."

"We appreciate the frustration of those who have been impacted today,” it said in a statement,

3845d ago

Snigdha21

No arrests, nothing to see here. If you are a migrant, child of a migrant, or person of colour living in Dover, no one cares that you were probably terrified today. Not Kent police, and not the Labour party.

johnw60.bsky.social2

How is it peaceful for masked men to intimidate?

darkdaysusa-uk.bsky.social. 1

I appreciate that some of the demonstrators would not want to be recognised, but an entire army of demonstrators dressed in black and wearing balaclavas is too similar to ICE agents in the U.S. Are ReformUK building an army like Trump has done?

Iain Roberts

@slowbikeiain.bsky.social

Kent Police described it as a "spontaneous protest", which sounds sensible: hundreds of far-right thugs spontaneously deciding to wear identical clothes and block a major port. Definitely not planned.

3745d ago

Andy4

I really don’t understand why there seem not to have been any arrests. You can bet that on the other side of the channel, if a mob disrupted critical infrastructure, the CRS would be in rounding them up.