UK government condemns road blockade near Port of Dover
UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds condemned a protest in Dover during which people dressed in black and wearing masks blocked traffic on the A20 motorway near the port. He said that peaceful protest is an important part of British life, but the action caused inconvenience for local residents.
As The Guardian reports, the protest took place on Saturday. Reynolds said the authorities would not want to see such actions on Britain’s streets that disrupt people’s normal lives. At the same time, he believes the police generally handled the situation well.
Delays on the A20
Kent Police arrived at the scene and engaged with the participants in the action. The Port of Dover administration described the event as a public order-related incident. By midday, the protesters had dispersed and no arrests were made.
Because of the action, traffic on the A20 to and from the port was stopped. According to National Highways, queues reached four miles and delays were up to 45 minutes. Videos shared on social media show people in masks and black clothing moving along the road beside trucks and police vehicles.
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Police did not release an official estimate of the number of participants. One streamer claimed that hundreds of people were marching with him. In other videos, protesters holding hands blocked the A20 and chanted the slogans “stop the boats” and “England till I die”.
Reaction of the authorities and MP
The anti-immigration group Patriot Platform, which the publication links to the far right, likely claimed responsibility for the action. Labour MP Mike Tapp, who represents Dover and Deal, said the protest was coordinated rather than spontaneous.
Tapp also noted that Kent Police appeared to have had little prior information about the action and questioned whether intelligence had been missed. He said the Port of Dover is critically important infrastructure through which about one-third of the UK’s goods trade with the EU passes. A government spokesperson said that the right to peaceful protest is fundamental to democracy, but that the authorities condemn the participants’ behaviour and the traffic disruption caused by the action.
