Masked protesters block Port of Dover

It isn’t imo, an intellectual game to discuss what is an increasing point of interest. I’ve been thinking we need an OP on the general issue of face covering. Our town has many more Muslim women in full black body, head and face coverings than in the past

We have young men/boys racing about on quad or e-bikes, dressed in black wearing face coverings. Groups of teenage lads hanging around wearing face coverings

Now a full protest of largely men, marching in black,
Inked a uniform and all with face coverings. I’m uneasy about the way face covering seems to be sliding into a norm, just as police are using facial recognition. I appreciate there is a genuine discussion about Muslim women and what seems increasing use of total cover up. My view is moving towards expecting everyone to stop hiding.

I hate face coverings I have been really clear about that. But there is something about banning them that worries me, it is a complex issue.

I appreciate that but in each case there are differences, and those are case by case.

What I recall very strongly is that the demonstrators and its not the face covering but out there and never to be forgotton

They were in fact using a very long standing UK meme - and its the blackshirts of Moseley's fascists of the 1930's all in black and Swastika carrying,

Intimidating the public - particularly Jewish people and all non whites as well as those Hitler hit (like gays and vulnerable MH people)

On many many occasions, attacking as well as marching. My Dad would turn in his grave - he was at Cable Street fighting the fascists. Its in our cultural memories and never left entirely behind.

Wyllow3

Galaxy

Again are you wanting to say what colours people can wear on a protest.

Are you really asking that seriously? A uniform black dress code creates a menacing visual effect designed to frighten local communities and bystanders. Whoever is wearing it:

...and I am aware of course that some powered bike users do that, but that is actually used by youths of different cultures. However they are not on those bikes carrying swastikas.

It does have significance as opposed to say the point I made above wearing black by innocent Muslim women as is the tradition of their faith. and - across the Muslim world, sometimes other colours are worn as well as face coverings.

Half the kids in Middlesborough on bikes, scooters and quad bikes wear all black and balaclavas or black masks.As Galaxy says so do many other groups and protesters in this country.
The protesters in Dover were peaceful and no arrests made and as far as I could see no swastikas were on display.
Why you bring Muslim women into this conversation is beyond me.

There's a huge difference between Muslim women choosing to cover their faces whilst shopping or taking their children to school and men wearing balaclavas to cover their faces whilst they march along shouting " whose streets, our streets". I'm for peaceful demos and expect those attending to stay within the law regardless of where they stand on the political spectrum. However, to pretend these thugs are peace loving citizens is frankly ridiculous.

Galaxy, I share your views on this. It is complex.

I’m aware of the history Wyllow refers to, of course. My mother told the story of one of her uncles arching with Mosley to the horror of his family. She said he really valued the boots he was given to march in, because he had none, no work, no money. Things repeat.
If legislation was mooted to ban face coverings yet a faith group claimed the right to continue hiding, can you imagine the outrage from eg pro Palestine marchers, not to mention these ‘patriot’ groups.

I mean I have to desperately cling on to principles here because it would mean women could meet without the gender mob but got to look at the wider picture! I actually thought there was some legislation introduced about face coverings and protest but I may be wrong.

To be clear… Muslim women wearing black for cultural or religious reasons and Catholic nuns in black or anything similar aren’t relevant to this discussion.

Protesters for any cause can wear any colour they like so the discussion should only be around ‘should the UK ban face masks and balaclavas on marches?’
Bringing red/ swastikas/ Nazis into this discussion is also not relevant as in the Dover protests there weren’t any.

Interesting point Galaxy, about the legality.
Did you find out?

Well I would fully support such legislation whoever they were.

I have just looked at the legislation, it looks very difficult to enforce to a lay person, something about can be asked to be removed in certain areas in protests if can be proven that it is being used to conceal identity.

It is a complex issue. I don't like them for many reasons. I think there is something sinister about covering the face. Demonstrators for example. Increasingly they are worn in crime related/social unrest situations. Terrorists such as the Provisional IRA and ISIS from what I remember wore face coverings. If they were to be banned and as things stand, there would be many justifiable reasons to do so. Not forgetting this is a route that other European countries have pursued, then that has to apply to all groups, there can't be any get out clauses.

Were any of them arrested?
Handcuffed?
Carried away?

Thanks Galaxy, for researching that.

(Motorised bikes are more complex, because of course a proper bike helmet also covers the face and is necessary for safety. Thats not to ignore the point of bikes and masks of course, but face covering is sometimes needful. And in very cold weather most bikers do wear a light covering across the mouth and neck under the helmet).

this is why it is sometimes a case by case. As Vintagewhine says where's the harm in the walks to school or shops if women really do feel it's necessary for whatever reason.

I believe the legislation, Galaxy, is around not wearing face covering in jobs where its essential to see faces? I may be wrong but thats been the most widely discussed area.

There was new legislation introduced regarding face coverings, if I recall correctly the police have the power to ask anyone on a protest to remove their face coverings.

I understand that a large group of mostly men, in black with their faces hidden appears to some (most) as intimidating.

As far as I am aware there were no arrests and the march was peaceful. The chants of whose streets, our streets would have been unsettling to some, but it is true, public streets belong to us all.

The protest organisers were astute in staying within the law, no banners, no markings etc.

As I posted up thread, we cannot ban marches because we (collective not personal) do not agree with the cause.

We either continue to have the right to peaceful protest for all, or the state bans all protest.

I do not agree with these protesters stance, but I respect their right to protest.

And the right of the Police to ask them to move on?
Remove their face coverings ?

It was crime and policing act 2026 in reference to protests, so it identified new offences such as climbing on memorials etc and it provides guidance on protests and face masks.

www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/crime-and-policing-act-2026-factsheets/crime-and-policing-act-2026-public-order-offences-factsheet&ved=2ahUKEwiH38n3zNmWAxV8REEAHVhTA_kQFnoECCMQAQ&usg=AOvVaw29CioJke2U_N873qsrb5bw

Maremia

And the right of the Police to ask them to move on?
Remove their face coverings ?

Of course.

Galaxy

I mean I have to desperately cling on to principles here because it would mean women could meet without the gender mob but got to look at the wider picture! I actually thought there was some legislation introduced about face coverings and protest but I may be wrong.

From AI (who can be as much your friend as google when it comes to factual information)

The Crime and Policing Act 2026, sections 157–159, creates a new offence of deliberately concealing identity in a specially designated area during a protest. These provisions came into force on 29 June 2026.

Under section 158 of the Act the police can designate an area for a specified amount of time if:

...they reasonably believe:

a protest is taking place or may take place;
offences are likely to be or have been committed at the protest;
and
designation is expedient to prevent or limit those offences.

If an area is designated section 157 applies:

Within that designated area it is now itself a criminal offence to wear or otherwise use something that conceals your identity.

According to the reports, they blocked the A20 and other roads, stopped traffic entering and leaving the port, and linked arms across the road. The Port of Dover called it an ongoing "public order incident".

That potentially provides the sort of criminal conduct which could justify a police designation under the new Act.

There is no evidence that Kent police formally issued a section 158 designation. In which case, the Crime and Policing Act 2026 wouldn't apply.

What is very strange is that the Kent police said that the demonstration was 'spontaneous'. I think most people would question the spontaneity of several hundred more or less identically clothed people (clothing designed to evade identification of individuals) arriving in the same area at much the same time and with the same 'grievance'...

The fact that they were moved on without incident is very curious. Past 'demonstrations' inspired or organised by Tommy Robinson have generally featured excessive consumption of alcohol and tunning battles with the police. That this one apparently didn't could indicate the exercise of military style discipline requiring a high degree of organisation and control.

Personally I find the whole incident to be far more scaring than any other publicised demonstrations of any kind. Far more scaring than the groups of bored asylum seekers hanging around local streets which people complain about.

The people protesting in the streets of Dover bore very little resemblance to Mosely's Blacks shirts, who wore a tailored black paramilitary uniform modelled on Mussolini's fascists, apart to those determined to find a link.

Their protest appeared to be peaceful,but not altogether sure what their purpose was; there were no banners or flags apparent, and they obeyed police instructions without trouble.

Face coverings can be intimidating to all people because they conceal identity and facial expression and should be banned; there is no legitimate reason for anyone to go about in this country with their face obscured.

Yes i posted the guidance to the sct upthread.
I think the police were caught off guard, it was clearly organised. I have no doubt there will be more.

The people protesting in the streets of Dover bore very little resemblance to Mosely's Blacks shirts, who wore a tailored black paramilitary uniform modelled on Mussolini's fascists, apart to those determined to find a link.

Good Lord, eazybee, if the fact that the 'uniforms' weren't 'tailored' gives you comfort do feel free to hang on to your illusions.

Apparently the Patriot Platform is the latest attempt by Danny Thomson to bring together a number of different "patriot" groups but isn't showing much success, for which I think we should be grateful. Thanet Patriots have declined the offer to join forces. Below is some words spoken by a member of the Thanet Patriot, Adrian Clark, a Ramsgate scaffolder with convictions for ABH, common assault and assaulting a police officer. In confessional mode, Clark admitted that he might seem an unlikely defender of “our women”: “I’ve done bad shit in my past which I’m not proud of … We’ve all done stupid shit.
But then when these other people want to sit out there and be like, ‘Oh, you’re a domestic abuser’ – what? Do you think these people on the boats got a better criminal record than me? He admitted that his turn to activism has “been very hard and very consuming – especially when I ain’t the most mentally stable person.”
Lovely people, these "patriots" salt of the earth and possibly coming to a town near you wearing black and covering their faces with masks.