Hundreds of masked and hooded anti-migrant activists, associated with the far-right group Patriot Platform, descended on Dover and Portsmouth over the weekend. The activists blocked traffic entering and exiting the port of Dover and gathered in Portsmouth after migrants were brought ashore there.
Patriot Platform is a consolidation of various local far-right groups, primarily from the south of England, with some representation from the north-west. The group's leader is Daniel Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo, who has been described as a close associate of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
In Dover, the black-clad men blocked the A20, causing delays of up to 30 minutes and four miles of congestion, according to National Highways. The protesters chanted slogans such as “stop the boats” and “England till I die.” Kent police stated the Dover protest was “spontaneous” and made no arrests, a claim questioned by local Labour MP Mike Tapp.
The campaign group Hope Not Hate (HNH), which monitors Patriot Platform, has described the group as portraying itself as protectors of British women and children and Christian values, but states its ranks include violent criminals, including Thomas himself, who has served prison time for a kidnapping attempt.