Dover protest - live: Hundreds of masked men stop access to port and terrify drivers

Dover protest - live: Hundreds of masked men stop access to port and terrify drivers Hundreds of masked protesters have blocked access to the Port of Dover and the A20 approach, causing major disruption for people travelling by ferry Hundreds of masked protesters have blocked access to the Port of Dover, causing chaos for holidaymakers and lorry drivers - with one motorist saying he "feared for his life". Kent Police said officers are aware of a protest "currently taking place" at the ferry terminal and are "engaging with protesters". Reform UK councillor John Baker, from Kent County Council, said he believes it is a "stop the boats" protest – but protesters have not confirmed this. The disruption has prevented holidaymakers from entering or leaving the port, with P&O Ferries warning that access is "currently restricted". One motorist, Toby Mackenzie, said in a post on social media: "People dressed in black surrounding my car, pretty much left me fearing for my life." National Highways says the A20 is closed in both directions between the A256 (York Street) and A2 (Jubilee Way) due to "protest activity" at the port. Key Events Port of Dover said in a post on X that access has been partially restored, with traffic now able to reach the port via the M2/A2, while access from the M20/A20 remains restricted. It added that "services are operating with some delay". Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp has told the BBC that the incident is causing "absolutely awful disruption" for residents. "My understanding is a number of individuals have travelled to the area, wearing black, wearing balaclavas, and have blocked a number of roads leading into the port area," he said. Ferry operator DFDS said in a post on X that passengers affected by the "current traffic disruption" near the Port of Dover will be able to take the next departure when they arrive. Protesters have not confirmed why they are demonstrating, and it has not been confirmed who organised the protest. However, Paul King, a Reform UK councillor for Dover West, said he has been told the demonstration is a "stop the boats protest". According to KentOnline, motorist Toby Mackenzie said in a post on social media: "People dressed in black surrounding my car, pretty much left me fearing for my life." Protesters have claimed that around 500 people are taking part in the demonstration at the Port of Dover. Witnesses have put the figure at around 300. We are awaiting further information from Kent Police. The Port of Calais has said ships are still being loaded "for the time being", but departures are delayed. A spokesperson for the French port told Sky News: "For the time being, the shipping companies are loading the vessels. Departures are delayed. We'll see how things develop depending on what happens in Dover." There have been angry reactions to the protest on X. One person called it "intimidation targeting the wrong people". Mike Tapp, the MP for Dover and Deal, said in a post on X that he is "fed up with idiots coming to Dover to cause disruption". "I bet if you asked any one of those “protesters” they wouldn’t know small boat crossing are down by 40%," he added. Port of Dover has said the "ongoing public order incident" is affecting all routes in and out of the port and town. In a statement, it added: "We are in contact with Kent Police to understand the situation. "This situation is impacting our local community and our customers, so of course we are hoping for a swift resolution." Images taken near the Port of Dover appear to show hundreds of protesters, all dressed in black and wearing balaclavas. Nathan Ditchburn said he saw the group arrive at around 6.45am while he was on his way to work. He told KentOnline: "I would say there are around 300 men, maybe more. Nobody will speak; they just handed me a piece of paper to look at. "They have blocked off every entrance and exit of the Dover port area, and Jubilee Way is blocked as well. It will be causing huge delays for the ferries today." P&O Ferries has said that passengers who miss their scheduled crossing today will be able to board the next available service. In a statement on X, National Highways said the A20 is closed in both directions in Kent between the A256 (York Street) and A2 (Jubilee Way). "A large number of protesters are blocking three separate locations bringing all traffic entering the @Port_of_Dover to a standstill," it added. There are delays of 45 minutes on the approach, with four miles of congestion, National Highways warned. A large group of masked protesters dressed in black has blocked access to the Port of Dover. Kent Police said officers are "aware of a protest currently taking place at the Port of Dover". "Officers are in attendance and engaging with protesters," the force added.