Farage calls for ban on face coverings after Dover and Portsmouth protests

Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has called for a complete ban on full face coverings in public spaces, stating they should be prohibited "once and for all." This call comes in the wake of anti-migrant demonstrations where protesters wore masks, including at the Port of Dover and during a stand-off in Portsmouth.

Mr Farage described face coverings as a "menace," asserting that their purpose is to "bully and intimidate." He made it clear that this proposed ban would include religious face coverings. The Reform UK leader stated that in a civilised society, individuals should be identifiable in public.

Weekend Demonstrations and Police Response

Over the weekend, crowds of masked individuals blocked road access to the Port of Dover on Saturday. The following night, Sunday, official vehicles were damaged and a number of police officers were injured during a confrontation with masked protesters in Portsmouth. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary is currently investigating potential assaults and criminal damage related to the Portsmouth incident. As of Monday, no arrests had been made.

Kent Police is investigating damage to a road in Dover that occurred during the demonstration there. Assistant Chief Constable Nigel Brookes confirmed that road damage was the only criminal offence under investigation by his force.

Political Reactions

Policing minister Sarah Jones attributed the community frustrations to the "chaos and crisis" of previous years. She labelled the Patriot Platform, which claims to have organised the Dover protest, as "far-right racist." Shadow home secretary Chris Philp responded by urging the government to take measures such as leaving the European Convention on Human Rights and deporting illegal immigrants.

Suella Braverman, a former Conservative home secretary, stated that people in her Hampshire constituency are "terrified, they are furious and they are desperate," adding that they are "not far-right racists."

The protests followed the arrival of approximately 120 migrants near the Isle of Wight on Sunday afternoon. More than 200 protesters reportedly attempted to prevent coaches from taking these arrivals for processing.