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Anti-migrant protest at Dover amid face mask ban
Kent Police said about 100 anti-migrant protesters turned out as officers used a face covering ban to limit disruption and concealment of identity.
On Saturday, Kent Police enforced a face-covering ban in Dover under the Crime and Policing Act 2026 as anti-migrant protesters and counter-demonstrators gathered near Dover Priory Station.
Seeking to minimize disruption after a protest last month caused significant delays at the port, Kent Police deployed a "substantial" number of highly-trained officers to the town centre.
In Southampton, Hampshire Police monitored a march by the South Coast Patriots, while around 50 Stand Up To Racism activists held a counter-demonstration at the Bargate in the city centre.
Superintendent Alex Charge, district commander for Southampton, implemented a dispersal order, while police deployed dog units and drones to monitor crowds and set expectations clearly.
A spokesperson reported no arrests had been made by Saturday evening, with about 100 anti-migrant protesters turning out in Dover, despite posters referencing the disbanded English Defence League.