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Police say lessons have been learned since Dover protest

Michael Keohan,
Phil Harrison,in Doverand
Tanya Gupta,South East
Remco van Schellen A large group of people dressed in dark clothing are walking across a road junction in Dover. Several police officers wearing high-visibility jackets are positioned among the crowd. Road signs in the centre of the image point towards London, the Channel Tunnel, Folkestone, Dover town centre and cruise terminals. White cliffs rise behind a row of seafront buildings in the background, under a clear blue sky.Remco van Schellen
Masked activists brought Dover to a standstill on 5 September

Plans for policing future protests have been improved after demonstrations brought Dover to a standstill last month, a police chief has said.

Det Ch Supt Elly Maggs, of Kent Police, said "we've listened, we've reflected and we've improved", following criticism of the force's response to protests on 5 September, which raised questions over whether police could have done more.

Hundreds of masked activists dressed in black and wearing face coverings blocked roads in an anti-migrant demo which stopped traffic going in and out of the port.

Speaking ahead of a demo in the port town at the weekend, Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Brookes told reporters a significant policing operation was planned.

The force had been made aware of a planned protest and potential counter-protest and "substantial" numbers of police were to be deployed, he said.

Demonstrations are common in Dover, where migrants picked up from small boats in the English Channel are brought ashore.

Uniformed police officers, East Kent divisional commander Elly Maggs and assistant chief constable Nigel Brookes, are seen outdoors in daylight. They are standing on grass with buildings in the background. Both are wearing white police shirts with black ties and shoulder insignia.
Elly Maggs and Nigel Brookes, from Kent Police, said police had made robust plans

Brookes said officers would facilitate peaceful protest but would take action where offences were committed.

The force is considering whether to take steps to order the removal of face coverings under legislation available to the police.

Brookes said: "On the day we'll make a judgement as to whether that's needed."

He said the law recognised a level of disruption was expected, but it was not an "unlimited right".

"If the main arterial roads leading to the port of Dover are blocked for any substantial period of time, that can lead to serious disruption," he said.

Remco van Schellen Several people wearing dark clothing, face coverings and hoods stand on a roadway near the port area in Dover. A large red lorry is parked directly behind the group, with additional people visible nearby on the pavement. Metal barriers, road signs, parked vehicles and port infrastructure can be seen in the background.Remco van Schellen
The demo in September later prompted questions about the police response

Maggs said people in Dover had to cancel park runs and car boot fairs, and felt unsafe about going to work on 5 September, adding: "That really resonated with me."

She said police had looked at all available intelligence ahead of this weekend and put in robust policing plans "to make sure that we have contingencies in place for what we know about, but also what we may not know about".

She reassured people in the town they should be able to go about their daily lives freely.

Asked about the impact on people from ethnic minority backgrounds, she said police would be there to keep people safe from harm, adding: "Where thresholds are met, we will make arrests."

Police had liaised with organisers to plan an appropriate response, she added.

Remco van Schellen Several police officers wearing high-visibility jackets walk towards a group of people dressed in dark clothing and face coverings on a road in Dover. Some of the people are standing while one person is seated on the ground. A white van and a large lorry are stopped behind the group, with additional vehicles visible nearby. Buildings, railings and roadside vegetation can be seen in the background.Remco van Schellen
Police said people in the town cancelled park runs and car boot fairs, and felt unsafe

Brookes said protest groups were using "new tactics", adding: "We've had to consider that very carefully, adapt to them and respond to them."

He said the force was "ready to police whatever happens".

"If you want to come and protest, that is absolutely your right. The police are here to facilitate peaceful protests. But it must be that," he said.

"It must be peaceful, it must be non-violent and it must not tip into criminality or serious disruption."

The force had specialist public order officers, evidence-gathering teams, police liaison officers, drones and dog units available, Brookes said.

Neighbourhood policing officers, who know businesses and communities in the town, were also there to reassure people on the day, he added.

"If you live in Dover, you can be reassured that we will manage this situation," he said.

Remco van Schellen A group of people dressed predominantly in dark clothing, including hoods and face coverings, stand in a car park and roadway area near Dover's seafront. Several people are lined up beside parked vehicles, while smaller groups stand further away in the background. A row of white seafront buildings sits below the White Cliffs of Dover, which dominate the background of the image. Cars and motorcycles are parked nearby, and long shadows stretch across the road.Remco van Schellen
Brookes said the force was "ready to police whatever happens" on Saturday

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