Authorities in Kent were alerted the evening before the disturbances in Dover that a significant number of far-right activists had gathered in a nearby village, intending to use it as a staging ground for their actions.
According to reports, intelligence was passed to police after individuals overheard far-right participants in a local pub boasting about their intentions to target Muslim communities in Dover.
Residents of Preston-next-Wingham, a village with a population of just over 920, reported that hundreds of men began arriving on Friday afternoon. Witnesses described how the group effectively took control of the settlement, blocking roads leading into Dover and preparing for the subsequent unrest.
Police response times seemed slow given the warning. I hope there is an independent review of how this was handled.
Over 900 locals and hundreds of outsiders blocking roads… the logistics of this are frankly disturbing.
Does anyone know if any arrests were made at that Preston pub? The ringleaders should be charged now.
I always thought far-right riots were spontaneous. This planned escalation sounds much more serious than typical disorder.
It is terrifying that they had the intel a full day in advance. Why wasn’t the staging village secured immediately?