A woman has come forward alleging she provided advanced warning to the police regarding the masked mass protest that occurred in Dover, despite officers initially describing the event as "spontaneous."
Kent Police has faced considerable criticism for its perceived "slow response" after hundreds of masked individuals, dressed entirely in black, brought traffic to a standstill at the port last Saturday. While the force defended its handling of what it termed a "spontaneous protest," Metro has spoken with an anti-racism campaigner who maintains that law enforcement should have been better prepared.
Police Acknowledge Unassessed Intelligence
In a statement issued to Metro, Kent Police conceded that they received a tip-off late on Friday evening suggesting a protest could take place in the town the following day. However, this crucial intelligence was "not fully assessed" at the time.
Maz Garside, an anti-racism campaigner from Portsmouth, claims she explicitly informed Counter Terrorism Police on the Tuesday prior to the protests about planned action in Dover. Her information detailed the involvement of men in balaclavas, allegedly led by Daniel Thomas, described as Tommy Robinson's "right-hand man."
Ms. Garside stated to Metro: "I could not believe when the police said they knew nothing. They had the intel because I told them."
Maz, a member of Stand Up To Racism (SUTR), revealed that she received "fourth-hand information" concerning a vulnerable rough sleeper. This individual had reportedly admitted during counselling sessions that he had been recruited to attend a meeting in Woking, Surrey, organised by Daniel Thomas. At this meeting, it is alleged that participants were asked to "take part in something going on in Dover."
According to the intelligence provided to Maz, she claims attendees at the meeting were "told to wear black, access a balaclava, and had to hand in their phones." Given the sensitive nature of this information and her role as an SUTR activist, Maz felt compelled to inform the authorities.
“I looked online and I found there was a Counter Terrorism Police site. I found a link which said “report online”. It said ‘how to report possible terrorist activity’, so I completed that online form,” she explained.
Maz voluntarily provided her full personal details, including her email address and phone number, but claims that "no one got in contact – nothing." Her report was submitted on Tuesday, 1 September, and she indicated to officers that she understood the action might take place within the subsequent one or two days.
Protest Unfolds and Criticisms Mount
Four days later, hundreds of masked protestors descended on Dover, occupying the middle of roads in a "stop the boats" demonstration. This action caused severe traffic disruption on the A20. Approximately 200 individuals participated in the protest, which eventually dispersed by midday, allowing normal traffic flows to resume relatively quickly.
However, the police force faced widespread criticism for its perceived slow reaction, with the leader of Dover District Council remarking that the protestors "caught several agencies on the hoof." Maz expressed her inability to comprehend why Kent Police did not appear better prepared for the action, given her prior report to Counter Terrorism Police.
Other local anti-racism campaigners, who requested anonymity to protect their identities, independently corroborated claims that a police report detailing the planned protest was submitted days before the event.
One activist told Metro: "We had an idea that something like this was going to happen. Early last week we received some information that Danny Tommo had had a meeting with lots of men and they were planning to go to Dover in a series of mini-buses. We assumed it was going to be the next day. My information was the police had been informed of this, but they claim it was entirely spontaneous."
Chris Vinson, the Conservative leader of the opposition in Dover District Council, asserted that the police have "significant questions to answer about why they weren’t aware of it in advance." He added:
"Anyone who saw the planned and coordinated arrival of vanloads of men, dressed entirely in black, on the streets of Dover this Saturday, will know that the Police description of the protest as “spontaneous” is utter nonsense."
Mr. Vinson demanded: "The Police need to tell us when they knew about this protest, and if they knew about it in advance then why do they appear to have done nothing to prepare for it. Residents in Dover need to be reassured that this won’t happen again."
Local MP Mike Tapp also weighed in, stating: "It is important that all reports are taken seriously by the police. I have raised my concerns with the Prime Minister, the Cabinet Office and the Policing Minister that police intelligence functions must be capable of detecting such activity so the police can be fully prepared."
Kent Police's Response and Review
A spokesperson for Kent Police indicated that while the intelligence received would not have prevented the "lawful protest" from taking place in Dover, nor the disruption experienced by the town, port, and wider community, there were internal failings. He stated: "The protest organisers adopted a different approach to previous protests, and as part of our commitment to public safety we have examined our decision-making to identify any lessons, to ensure we are well prepared for future events organised in a similar way."
He continued: "During that initial review, we found the force had received non-emergency information late on Friday evening that a protest could take place in the town the following day. This information was not fully assessed. If it was, it may have allowed the force to consider its resourcing."
Kent Police has requested that the College of Policing conduct a learning review to independently examine the processes involved and ensure improved preparedness for future events.