Protesters temporarily block access to Dover port in the UK
Hundreds of masked protesters temporarily blocked access to the Port of Dover on Saturday in a demonstration against illegal migration across the Channel, with traffic restored by midday.
On Saturday morning, a protest against illegal migration disrupted ferry traffic between France and the United Kingdom for several hours. The Port of Dover, one of the busiest ferry ports in the country, announced that services had been temporarily suspended, but traffic was restored by around midday.
All approach roads blocked
Demonstrators, many dressed in black and with their faces covered, initially blocked all roads leading to the port's ferry terminal. Videos circulated on social media showed dozens of people dressed this way physically obstructing the access routes to the port.
Significant congestion and delays
According to the National Highways agency, the protest caused a traffic jam on one of the roads stretching 6.4 kilometers, leading to delays of up to 45 minutes for vehicles.
The Port of Dover is a key hub for passenger and freight transport between the UK and mainland Europe, meaning any disruption to its operations has a wide-reaching impact on travelers and goods crossing the border between the two countries.
It is worth noting that this is not the first such protest in Dover — the region has previously seen demonstrations against illegal immigrants who attempt to cross the narrow Channel strait in small boats, traveling from the coast of France to the UK. This migration issue has long been a contentious and widely debated topic in British society and politics.
