Masked Men Block Roads Into Dover Port in England in Apparent Anti-Immigrant Protest

Hundreds of masked anti-immigration protesters blocked roads leading to Britain’s busiest ferry port on Saturday, clogging traffic and disrupting travelers and cargo vehicles heading for France.

The U.K. government condemned the action, saying it went well beyond peaceful protest.

The Port of Dover said Saturday morning that all traffic in and out was “stopped due to an ongoing public order incident,” and police said they were “engaging with the protesters.”

Video posted on social media showed several dozen men in black, their faces covered, standing across a major road near the port. One clip showed demonstrators linking arms across a main road and shouting “stop the boats.”

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The National Highways agency said the protest blocked all routes to the port and caused a 4-mile (6.4-kilometer) traffic jam.

Police were later filmed following protesters toward Dover’s railway station. P&O Ferries said just before midday that “access to the Port of Dover has now been restored.”

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