BBC News
· collected 2026-09-06 · by Simon Jones, Chris Graham, André Rhoden-Paul
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Portsmouth on Sunday night after around 140 migrants in a single dinghy were rescued in the English Channel. The protesters blocked roads and faced off with police, who had issued a dispersal order to prevent them from leaving the city. A government spokesperson condemned the "intimidating and thuggish behaviour" of the protesters, while Reform UK leader Nigel Farage criticized the situation on X, calling it a "joke" that only his party would be able to stop. The protest is part of ongoing anti-migrant protests in the region, following a similar demonstration at the Port of Dover on Saturday.
Written by the local model on 2026-09-07,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Hundreds of masked men blocked roads leading to the Port of Dover, Britain's busiest ferry port, on September 5, 2026, disrupting traffic and causing a 4-mile-long traffic jam. The protesters, who were dressed in black and wore balaclavas, chanted "stop the boats" as they blocked key roads and linked arms across routes leading to the port. The protest was described as "exceptionally well organised" by Dover District Council leader Kevin Mills, who criticized the police response for being slow.
The disruption caused delays of up to 45 minutes for passengers and cargo vehicles heading for France. P&O Ferries, which runs services between Dover and Calais in France, said its boats were running on schedule, and passengers who missed their ferry would be offered the next available crossing.
The Labour Party government condemned the protest, saying it went beyond peaceful protest. Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC that while peaceful protest was an essential part of British life, the "intimidatory behaviour" witnessed in Dover was unacceptable.
The police response to the protest is also under scrutiny, with some politicians questioning whether intelligence was missed and if extra police officers could have been drafted in from the Metropolitan Police to help deal with the disorder. Former Home Office minister and Labour MP for Dover and Deal, Mike Tapp, said he would be asking these questions.
The protest has been linked to a group called Patriot Platform, which is believed to have been founded by Daniel Thomas, an associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.
Written for “Dover Port Protest Disruption” on 2026-09-07,
grounded in this article and the 17 other(s) covering the same event.
- Published
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Portsmouth on Sunday night after around 140 migrants in a single dinghy were rescued in the English Channel.
asserted
migrants → publish → Channel
In the second major anti-migrant protest of the weekend, police faced off with demonstrators as they blocked roads in an effort to stop the people who had arrived on the small boat from leaving the city.
asserted
who → face → city
Hampshire Police urged people to avoid the Eastney Landing ferry port area, where the migrants were brought ashore, and said a dispersal order was in place, meaning anyone failing to comply could be arrested.
uncertain
anyone → urge → place
The government condemned "the intimidating and thuggish behaviour" of the protesters, many of whom were dressed in black and wore masks.
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many → condemn → masks
Conservative MP for Isle of Wight East Joe Robertson said on X it was "extremely concerning to see an illegal migrant crossing this far west".
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migrant → say → X
Protesters said they were trying to stop authorities transporting the migrants to the Manston processing centre in Kent.
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they → say → Kent
Police carrying riot shields protected a number of coaches parked on a road leading away from Eastney Marina as protesters blocked traffic.
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protesters → carry → traffic
Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo – an associate of far-right activist Tommy Robinson – was livestreaming from the scene.
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Thomas → know → scene
"Roads are all blocked, they are never going to be able to leave here," he said.
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he → block → ?
A government spokesperson said: "The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but it must never cross a line into disorder."
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it → say → disorder
"We thank the emergency services who are working to safely manage this situation."
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who → thank → situation
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage posted on X: "This week Andy Burnham struck an agreement for 45 more officers on French beaches.
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Burnham → post → beaches
Today a boat launched from Baie de Seine, 170 miles from Calais, arriving on the beaches of Hampshire for the very first time.
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boat → launch → time
Only Reform will send the boats back."
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Reform → send → boats
The protest came after a large group of masked men held a demonstration over the small-boat crossings at the Port of Dover on Saturday, causing a major disruption.
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group → come → disruption
Days earlier, Prime Minister Andy Burnham and French President Emmanuel Macron met to discuss how to "scale up" efforts to reduce small boat crossings.
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Burnham → meet → crossings
In August a single small boat carrying a record 230 people successfully crossed the Channel.
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boat → carry → Channel
The latest dinghy launched in Bay of the Seine and was shadowed for around 10 hours by French rescue boats in case it got into difficulty.
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it → launch → difficulty
The French coastguard said it was not safe to attempt to stop the dinghy on water.
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it → say → water
It reached UK waters at lunchtime and the people on board were met by lifeboats from Bembridge and Yarmouth.
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people → reach → Bembridge
French authorities said it was unusual for the migrant boat to depart from the area - 170 miles from where they are commonly launched near Calais - making the crossing to the UK significantly longer.
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crossing → say → UK
On Saturday, hundreds of protesters, dressed in black and wearing face coverings, blocked roads near the Port of Dover and were heard chanting "stop the boats".
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hundreds → dress → boats
A council boss said police were slow to react to the "exceptionally well organised" protest.
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police → say → protest
Kevin Mills, who leads Dover District Council, told the BBC that demonstrators "caught several agencies on the hoof" when they arrived on Saturday.
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they → lead → Saturday
Kent Police is yet to comment, but cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds said officers "did deal with it swiftly".
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officers → comment → it
Last year local officials told the BBC there has been an increase in people trying to depart from Normandy.
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officials → tell → Normandy
Earlier on Sunday, a Home Office spokesperson said: "This government is bearing down on dangerous small boat crossings and restoring control at our border.
"
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government → say → border
Joint efforts have seen over 48,000 crossing attempts prevented and 1,100 boats and engines seized since the election."
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boats → see → election
They added: "But we must go further, which is why we have signed a payment-by-results deal with the French to put 40% more boots on the ground on French beaches."
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we → add → beaches
A Maritime and Coastguard Agency spokesperson said: "In response to a report on September 6 of a small boat heading towards the Hampshire coast, HM Coastguard sent lifeboats, an HM Coastguard helicopter, an HM Coastguard aeroplane and HM Coastguard Rescue Teams.
"
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Coastguard → say → lifeboats
Border Force, Border Security Command, Hampshire Police and South Central Ambulance Service were also sent."
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Force → send → ?
In bilateral talks on Thursday, Burnham and Macron agreed they were making headway in reducing small boat crossings in the English Channel but now needed to go further.
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they → agree → Channel
While the number of boat crossings over summer months has dropped to its lowest since 2019, smugglers appear to have started loading more people onto fewer, larger vessels dubbed "mega dinghies".
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smugglers → drop → vessels
It's thought the people smugglers organising the crossings have been forced to go to much greater lengths to avoid detection following more robust policing in the Calais area.
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smugglers → think → area
Between 1 January and 1 September 2026, a total of 16, 513 people crossed the English Channel by small boat from France.
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total → cross → France
Downing Street says 45 extra police officers are being deployed to French beaches in a "surge team" to tackle larger dinghies with more people packed onto them.
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people → say → them
