Andrée Massiah
BBC Your Voice

A London tour guide says he was at the port to meet a group of tourists at Dover cruise terminal when "hooded protesters arrived en masse".

Rafael Pittman says the tour group were unable to disembark and he was unable to enter the terminal as it was blocked by freight trucks.

He describes seeing the protesters heading towards the cruise terminal followed by police.

"They looked quite frightening, but I approached them and when I spoke to them, they were friendly-ish," he says.

"They told me they were protesting against illegal immigration, and I passed on the information to the police.

"There was no violence...as far as I could see.

"I was there for three hours, and it was absolute chaos.”

Daniel Friend, the Dover District councillor for Sandwich and Woodnesborough, says protesters have been spotted in nearby Sandwich and "police are in attendance".

"Following the disruption in Dover earlier today, local reports now indicate that a group of protesters has arrived in Sandwich," he writes on Facebook.

"Police are on the scene and I’m aware of residents reporting disruption locally. At this stage, I don’t want to speculate about what is happening beyond what can actually be confirmed."

Friend says he will share any confirmed information from Kent Police or the relevant authorities as soon as it becomes available.

Simon Jones
Reporting from Dover

At lunchtime, the police marched the protesters to the railway station and they have since left the town.

The Port of Dover said not just its passengers but the local community had been badly affected.

Although demonstrations against illegal immigration are common in Dover - as it’s the place migrants are brought to shore after they are picked up in the Channel - they are usually advertised in advance.

Today’s protest has been on a different scale.

Kent Police has issued a statement following the disruption in Dover earlier today.

It says officers "responded to a spontaneous protest" during Saturday morning, adding "no arrests were made".

"Traffic is flowing normally, and all involved had dispersed by midday," it adds

Michael Keohan
Reporting from Dover

From just after 07:00 BST several hundred masked protesters gathered to close one of the key routes into the Port of Dover.

Hundreds of them chanted "whose streets" and "stop the boats".

I spoke to some in the protest about why they had come to Dover and who was behind the protest, but no-one would talk openly to me.

The protest broke the police cordon shortly before 11:30, moving to Dover Priory station.

Locals leaning out of flats waved to them as they marched, and some applauded as protesters made their way through Dover town.

Barry Caffrey
Reporting from Dover

I'm still on Platform 1 at Dover Priory station and just witnessed at least 100 people boarding a train to Ramsgate. They were all dressed in black and wore black balaclavas.

When the train arrived, they got on board and it was completely full leaving the station. One of the group shouted "we are all leaving together, no-one will be left behind".

I also saw some other people trying to board the train but they couldn’t and they stood back to let the people dressed in black board.

All the protesters have left now from Dover Priory station.

The government has responded to the protest at the Port of Dover today.

A spokesperson says in a statement: "The right to peaceful protest is fundamental to our democracy, but we condemn the behaviour in Dover and the travel disruption it has caused.

"We appreciate the frustration of those who have been impacted today. Access to the port is now restored and traffic is flowing. Those travelling to the Port are advised to allow for extra travel time and to follow guidance from providers.

"We thank policing partners and travel providers who we continue to work with to ensure the safety of passengers and the wider community.”

Andree Massiah
BBC Your Voice

Image source, Lania Tkaczyk

Lania Tkaczyk says she saw a number of men in dressed in black outside her hotel in Dover.

"We were stranded at the Port of Dover this morning and have only just been able to leave," she tells the BBC.

"We stayed at the Premier Inn and could see a protest opposite of the dual carriageway.

"It was quite intimidating seeing the men head-to-toe in black."

She says her children, aged 13 and 16, are in Folkstone waiting for their window to swim the channel as part of a relay for the Mencap Marvels.

"They've been training all year," she adds. "I travelled down from Cheshire yesterday but because of the protest I’ve been delayed but I hope to get to Folkstone to see my children soon."

Barry Caffrey
Reporting from Dover

I have just arrived into Dover Priory station on a train from Ashford International.

There’s a group of about 100 people sitting down on benches along Platform 1.

They are all men from what I can make out, dressed in black, and they all are wearing black balaclavas.

They are a mixture of ages - teenagers and young adults as well as older people.

As the train from Ashford International pulled into Dover Priory, they waved at it.

Mike Tapp says protesters arrived at the Port of Dover "in the early hours" of Saturday morning dressed all in black and wearing balaclavas, which has been "extremely intimidating" to local residents.

The Labour MP tells BBC News there is "nothing wrong with protest" but claims protesters "don't have the right to come to our town, block our roads and wear balaclavas".

"Residents are fed up of this sort of disruption from people that don't even live here," he adds.

Tapp acknowledges the incident is really worrying but urges people to "still go about your business" and "don't let these protesters stop you".

He adds that police are working "hard", and he is waiting for an update from them.

The Port of Dover says that roads near the site are "now free flowing" and reminds customers they will be able to get on the next available sailing once they reach check-in.

In its latest update, P&O Ferries says that its services are still facing delays of up to an hour.

Ferry company DFDS has also posted on X, saying that it is no longer facing disruption at the port.

Local councillor Chris Vinson says "several hundred masked men" have been blocking local roads.

“There are stacks of people who are stuck in their cars or in their workplaces as a result," says Vinson, who is leader of the Conservative group at Dover District Council.

Vinson, speaking before the protesters dispersed, said their motives appeared to be "illegal migration-related" - a BBC reporter at the scene has since confirmed they were chanting "stop the boats".

“I’m not aware that there’s been any violence, although clearly, having the path of your vehicle blocked by men wearing black paramilitary gear and balaclavas is extremely intimidating," he adds, "especially when it’s not clear why they’re there and the police weren’t aware."

Vinson describes how some port workers on night shifts were "being prevented from leaving for fears for their safety", while some women in cars were "feeling intimidated".

Traffic is now able to enter and leave the Port of Dover via the A2 Jubilee Way, the port says.

A post on the port's X account tells customers if they cannot make their booking then Irish Ferries, DFDS and P&O Ferries will allow them on their next available sailing.

Remco van Schellen arrived in Dover from the Netherlands at about 08:00 BST.

He says that when he wanted to leave the ferry terminal with his car "we couldn't go any further".

"There were people blocking the roads, the roundabout, just outside of the ferry terminal in Dover," he tells the BBC.

"There were people in black clothing, their faces masked, so we couldn't see who they were."

He adds: "It was my welcome party here."

Image source, Remco van Schellen

Simon Jones
Reporting from Dover

There are lots of police here, they are marching protesters towards Dover railway station.

The demonstrators have been chanting: "Stop the boats."

Protesters told me they don’t want to talk to the media, though one said: "Send them back" and another said: "Stop the boats."

The Port of Calais in France is not currently being affected by the protest in Dover.

A spokesperson for the port tells the BBC operators are continuing to load cargo, although ships are departing with slight delays.

The port is monitoring the situation, the spokesperson adds.

Image source, PA Media

The Port of Dover is the UK’s busiest international ferry port with over 15,000 passenger vehicles using it each day in the summer.

More than 10,000 freight vehicles also pass through the port each day and the site handles £144bn of trade each year.

Around 33% of UK trade with the European Union moves across the Channel from the port.

The site is also home to 25 different cruise lines and thousands of guests each year.

National Highways says the A20 east between A256 (York Street) and A2 (Jubilee Way) remains closed, with around one mile (1.6km) of congestion and 25-minute delays on approach.

In its latest update on X, it says the westbound route is "mostly clear of traffic, but remains blocked from Limekiln roundabout".

Image source, UK Parliament

Dover and Deal MP Mike Tapp, pictured above, tells the BBC 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 says.

Paul King, Reform UK councillor for Dover West, says he has been told the demonstration is a "stop the boats protest".

Tapp adds on Facebook: "I am 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% and we are working hard to fix the mess."

Kent Police has not yet commented on who is behind the protest.

P&O Ferries says access to the port "has been partially restored and traffic is currently able to access the port via the M2/A2, access remains restricted from the M20/A20".

It adds services are operating "with some delay" amid the disruption, but is promising to get passengers onto the next available sailing when they reach check-in.

Meanwhile, ferry operator DFDS says it is aware of the "current traffic disruption" and will accommodate passengers on the next departure once they arrive.