Far-right activist Danny Thomas has hit back at local MP Mike Tapp after the politician criticised the major disruption caused by hundreds of masked anti-migrant demonstrators at the Port of Dover on Saturday morning.

Mr Tapp, the MP for Dover and Deal, had described the unannounced protest as an "absolutely awful disruption" for local residents and suggested Kent Police were caught unprepared with resources that were "pretty thin on the ground". Responding on X, Mr Thomas told the MP he "might want to take a look at what your own constituents are saying", adding that "the comments from people in and around Dover speak for themselves."

Mr Thomas, who along with Tommy Robinson praised the demonstration online, had previously claimed the overwhelming majority of local people spoken to were thankful that people were "actually doing something".

The demonstration began at around 07:00 BST when hundreds of protesters dressed in black and wearing face coverings blocked roundabouts and key access roads into the ferry terminals while chanting "stop the boats". The government swiftly condemned "the behaviour in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused".

Police officers stepped in to move the crowd away from the port and towards Dover Priory railway station by roughly 11:30 BST, confirming that all those involved had dispersed by midday. Port authorities confirmed that surrounding routes reopened shortly afterwards and operations returned to normal.

For travellers and cross-Channel operators, the blockades brought immediate difficulties. Ferry companies P&O and DFDS both confirmed they would place passengers who missed their scheduled sailings onto the next available departures, while the Port of Dover thanked customers and local residents for their patience while police handled the incident.

Eyewitness accounts highlighted the extent of the disruption across the town. Remco van Schellen, a passenger arriving from the Netherlands around 08:00, said he was unable to drive past the roundabout outside the terminal. London tour guide Rafael Pittman reported three hours of "absolute chaos" while waiting to collect arriving tourists, and visitor Lania Tkaczyk explained that the road closures prevented her from travelling to nearby Folkestone to watch her children take part in a Channel swimming relay.

Local leaders also voiced serious concerns about the scale of the gathering and worker safety. Chris Vinson, leader of the Conservative group on Dover District Council, said several hundred masked men had loaded into rental vans before descending on roads leading into Dover, leaving port night-shift workers unable to leave over safety fears. Sir Roger Gale MP noted that protesters had parked across a village green in his Herne Bay and Sandwich constituency.

Dover District Council's Labour leader, Kevin Mills, told BBC Radio 4 that an initially low police presence contributed to the disruption, though numbers improved as the morning progressed.

Kent Police have not yet commented on who was behind the demonstration. However, anti-hate organisation Hope Not Hate alleged that a network called Patriot Platform organised the protest, claiming the group formed in July to bring together anti-migrant campaigners from across the country. Dover West Reform UK councillor Paul King said he had been told it was a "stop the boats protest."

In contrast to online support from far-right figures, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told the BBC he "deplored" the use of face coverings, stating that people should not be permitted to be "masked-up, balaclavaed-up and go out and protest on the streets of our country."

Under the Crime and Policing Act 2026, concealing your identity during a protest in England and Wales became an offence in June, provided the area has been formally designated by a police officer of inspector rank or above who believes offences are likely. Demonstrations against immigration frequently occur in Dover because small boat arrivals are brought ashore there, but unannounced action on this scale remains unusual.

What we do not know yet is whether Kent Police will take any retrospective action regarding the organisers or road blockages. I will be following this one closely — check back for updates.