Hundreds of masked protesters have blocked roads at the Port of Dover protest scene on 5 September 2026, causing major disruption to ferry services and traffic across the area. Kent Police said it was aware of the demonstration at the ferry terminal and was ‘engaging with protesters’.
Images from the scene appear to show hundreds of people dressed in black and wearing face coverings. Traffic has been stopped in both directions on the A20, between the A256 York Street and the A2 Jubilee Way in Dover.
Roads blocked and ferries delayed
National Highways reported three miles (4.8km) of congestion and delays of up to 30 minutes on approach routes. Port of Dover said the ‘ongoing public order incident’ was affecting all routes in and out of the port and town.
P&O Ferries said it would get passengers on to the next available sailing if they missed their scheduled crossing. Ferry operator DFDS said it was aware of the ‘current traffic disruption’ and would accommodate passengers on the next departure once they arrived.
In a statement, Port of Dover said: ‘We are in contact with Kent Police to understand the situation. This situation is impacting our local community and our customers, so of course we are hoping for a swift resolution.’
MP warns of ‘absolutely awful disruption’
Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp told the BBC the Port of Dover protest was causing ‘absolutely awful disruption’ for residents. ‘My understanding is, a number of individuals have travelled to the area, wearing black, wearing balaclavas, and have blocked a number of roads leading into the port area,’ he said.
The use of face coverings by those taking part raises questions under recently enacted legislation. The Crime and Policing Act 2026 made it an offence to conceal your identity at a protest in England and Wales, but only where a police officer of at least inspector rank has designated the area, according to BBC News. It was not immediately clear whether such a designation had been made at Dover on Saturday.
Kent Police had not confirmed the number of those involved or whether any arrests had been made. The force said it remained at the scene and was continuing to engage with those present.
The Port of Dover protest continued to affect travel as of the time of the initial report, with the port urging passengers to follow updates from their ferry operators for the latest sailing information.
