Major disruption occurred at the Port of Dover on Saturday, 5 September 2026, due to a demonstration by a large group of masked men. Hundreds of protesters, dressed in black and wearing face coverings, blocked roads and chanted "stop the boats," preventing traffic from entering and exiting the port.
Kent Police described the protest as "spontaneous" and moved the crowd from the port to Dover Priory railway station by approximately 11:30 BST. All protesters had dispersed by 12:00 BST, and no arrests were made. The government condemned the behaviour and the resulting travel disruption.
The Port of Dover has confirmed that operations have returned to normal, and all routes in and out of the town have reopened. Ferry operators P&O and DFDS stated they would accommodate passengers who missed their scheduled crossings on the next available sailing.
Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp stated he would be asking questions on Monday regarding why police appeared unaware of the incident. The Crime and Policing Act 2026, which came into force in June, makes it an offence to conceal identity at a protest in England and Wales if an area has been designated by a police inspector, though this requires the officer to believe offences are likely to occur.