Masked U.K. anti-migrant protesters condemned for “thuggish and intimidating” behavior

Updated on: September 7, 2026 / 12:39 PM EDT / CBS News

London — Hundreds of masked anti-migrant protesters brought traffic around one of the world's busiest maritime passenger ports, the Port of Dover in England, to a standstill over the weekend.

In the latest in a series of increasingly confrontational demonstrations across Britain, demonstrators, many wearing balaclavas, dressed in all black and carrying English and British flags, blocked roads on Saturday leading to the Dover ferry port, chanting "stop the boats" and "Christ is king."

Traffic was halted, causing a highway backup that stretched 4 miles and disrupting ferry passengers and freight.

The Kent Police force described the gathering as a "spontaneous protest" and made no arrests. But local Labour Party lawmaker Mike Tapp challenged that characterization, arguing the action appeared to have been clearly coordinated.

"Policing depends on preparation. This was clearly organized, yet Kent Police appear to have had little advance warning," Tapp wrote in The Mirror newspaper. "I will be asking why, whether intelligence was missed, and whether additional officers – including mutual aid from forces such as the Met [London Metropolitan Police] – can be mobilized quickly enough when Dover is targeted again."

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Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/