Hundreds of masked men have brought traffic around the Port of Dover to a standstill in a ‘stop the boats’ protest.
The men, many wearing black clothing and balaclavas, were seen walking along major roads and across roundabouts near the Kent port on Saturday morning.
Kent Police said officers were at the scene and ‘engaging with protesters’ as they dealt with what they described as an ongoing protest.
The demonstration is understood to be linked to opposition to migrants crossing the English Channel in small boats.
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A local councillor said women in the area had reported feeling frightened by the large group, while Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp branded the protesters ‘idiots’.
Follow Metro’s live blog below as the situation continues to develop.
RNLI worker unable to get into work
One social media user, Paula Hunter-Breese, an RNLI worker, said that she was unable to get into work.
Taking to Facebook, Paula said: ‘Couldn’t get to work at 7.30 said they were saving Britain I said what about hard working people.’
This comes after another person on social media called Emma said: ‘I have a family member stuck in this, they are trying to get to Ashford Hospital, he is not well at all.’
Chants of ‘stop the boats’
Protestors can be heard shouting ‘stop the boats’ in unison while standing in a line.
A YouTube live stream shows the protestors standing in front of police officers.
WATCH: Protestors gather in the road
Videos have been circulating online, showing the protestors walking in the road.
Crowds have been seen walking in the middle of major roads and across roundabouts near the port in Kent.
Hundreds of men block traffic to the Port of Dover
Hello, and welcome to Metro’s live coverage of the protest in Dover this morning.
Hundreds of masked men wearing balaclavas and all-black clothes have been seen blocking the Port of Dover as part of what is believed to be a ‘stop the boats’ protest.
Traffic going in and out of the port has been blocked.
To read Metro’s earlier story on the breaking news, click below:
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