THE BREXIT BASE
Anti-immigration protesters bring traffic to a standstill at port of Dover
Anti-migrant protesters brought traffic to a standstill in Dover as they marched down the A20, blocking lorries from the key trade terminal.
A group of about 50 people, with some travelling from other parts of the country, protested against migrants crossing the English Channel to get into the UK.
The demonstrators used smoke flares and marched along the dual carriageway, forcing lorry drivers to line up and wait for their route to the trade terminal to clear.
Lots of the group, made up mostly of men, shouted ‘English streets’ and carried English flags.
One protester, reclining on the tarmac in front of police, remarked: ‘If you can’t go abroad, lie in the street in Dover’.
Kent Police arrested four people – two on suspicion of public order offences and two on suspicion of obstructing a highway.
At one point, officers were seen pursuing someone through the town and past a busy funfair before he was detained in a shop.
Most protesters had dispersed by 3.30pm.
Dover’s Tory MP Natalie Elphicke said: ‘Kent Police have had a challenging year – from the French closing the border to leaving the EU to coronavirus lockdowns and PCSO Julia James’ tragic death.
‘They deserved a proper bank holiday break this weekend – not being sworn at by loud-mouthed protestors.
‘Time and again we see that the protesters’ day out causes direct damage to someone else’s livelihood, tourism, business and trade. That’s not right or fair.
‘It’s time to stop the small boats crossings but today’s protesters are not welcome in Dover. We don’t want them here. There’s no excuse for their disruption to trade and to our town.’
Superintendent Andy Gadd said today’s protests came with ‘minimal disruption to the local community’.
‘We worked to balance the rights of those taking part in the protest with those living and working in Dover,’ he added.
Cops were dotted all over Dover as similar protests in the past have seen scenes of violence.
Much like today, last September’s demonstrations brought traffic to a halt and in 2016, people threw bricks and smoke bombs at police.
Many have been angry over the increasing number of people making the dangerous 21-mile journey across the Channel.
More than 3,100 people have reached the country’s shores in 2021 – with 25 migrants arriving earlier today.
Although the UK is home to one of the highest immigrant populations in the world, it hosts very few refugees.
Because four out of five asylum seekers stay in their regions, 85% of refugees end up in nearby developing countries, according to The UN Refugee Agency.
Immigration has been at the forefront of the current Government’s agenda, with the Home Secretary promising multiple times to ‘take back control of our borders’.
