Late Sunday, hundreds of protesters in dark clothing and masks gathered at the port. They faced police officers while trying to stop the lifeboats from landing the migrants and later tried to block the buses that were to take the new arrivals to a processing centre.

Both protest groups appeared to be led by Daniel Thomas, an ally of veteran far‑right activist Stephen Yaxley‑Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson.

The British government condemned the “intimidating and thuggish behaviour” of the demonstrators, saying that while peaceful protest is a democratic right, it must never turn into disorder.

The incident highlights the sharp division in the UK over how to handle people who cross the Channel. Anti‑immigration activists aim to prevent migrants from reaching British soil, while the authorities stress the need to keep ports safe and to process arrivals according to the law.