Kent Police defend handling of Dover port protest
Kent police said the protest at the Port of Dover was spontaneous and that they acted proportionately, while MP Mike Tapp questioned why the force was not aware of the demonstration in advance.
Hundreds of masked demonstrators blocked access to the Port of Dover on Saturday, halting operations for several hours. Kent Police said the protest developed rapidly and was not pre-planned, describing it as "spontaneous" and noting that all participants had dispersed by midday, allowing normal port activity to resume.
Local MP Mike Tapp said the police appeared unaware of the protest beforehand and asked why the force had not been informed. He emphasized that police do not monitor peaceful protesters or consider their political views.
Chief Constable Andy Brookes said the police "will always support people's right to peaceful protest" and that officers aim to police proportionately, fairly and reasonably. He added that the only offence under investigation was criminal damage to a road and that wearing face coverings alone does not constitute a criminal offence. Brookes said the force would seek to identify and engage with participants to understand future plans and balance protest rights with community needs.
Police made no arrests at the event. Matthew Scott, the Police and Crime Commissioner for Kent, said he had been in close contact with senior police leaders and expressed regret to Dover residents and businesses for the disruption.
Anti-hate group Hope Not Hate attributed the protest to the Patriot Platform network, which it said had been coordinating anti-migration actions since July.