Protesters briefly block roads 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 English Channel. Ferry traffic between France and the UK was paused for several hours before resuming.
The UK's busiest ferry port, Dover, was the site of a protest on Saturday against illegal migrant crossings of the English Channel. Several hundred participants, many dressed in black with their faces covered, temporarily blocked all access roads leading to the port's ferry terminal.
Ferry traffic halted
Port authorities said the protest caused ferry services between France and the UK to be suspended for a period during the morning. Traffic resumed around midday.
Videos circulating on social media showed dozens of people with their faces obscured standing across roadways, preventing vehicles from reaching the port.
Traffic disruption
The national roads agency reported that the blockade caused a roughly 6.4-kilometre queue to form on one of the approach roads, leading to delays of up to 45 minutes for drivers.
Dover has previously been the scene of similar protests against migrants who cross the Channel illegally in small boats from France to the UK. Channel crossings remain a widely discussed and contentious issue in British society.
