BBC: Anti-immigration groups in Britain shift to coordinated actions with masks, trucks and road blockades

Anti-immigration protests in Britain are taking on a new form, as far-right activists have begun using more organized methods, including trucks, face coverings and obstructing road traffic.

A gathering in Dover attended by between approximately 200 and 500 people has alarmed British authorities because of the coordinated way in which the protest groups operated.

Dozens of men dressed in black appeared in Dover in the early hours of the morning after spending the night in a village in Kent. They arrived in several groups in trucks and blocked roads near the port, disturbing residents and drivers.

The protesters belonged to Patriotic Alternative, a newly formed group, and stood in tightly packed formations, refusing to speak to the media. They left after several hours, before police managed to fully organize their response.

A Dover resident described the situation as extremely alarming. Meanwhile, Danny Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo and the group’s main organizer, described the action as a “warning.”

William Allchorn, an expert on far-right movements at Anglia Ruskin University, says that Patriotic Alternative’s distinguishing feature lies in its size and level of coordination. This comes at a time when other anti-immigration groups have faced arrests and criminal prosecutions following violent protests.

Thomas has said he does not want his movement to repeat the violence and criminal damage seen at previous protests. In his view, political pressure should be exerted through other means.

Another protest was held in Portsmouth following the action in Dover. There, activists attempted to stop buses transporting migrants who had arrived in Britain by small boats across the English Channel.

British Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has asked police officers to use the powers available to them against protesters with covered faces. She said that black clothing and balaclavas create a “fear factor” and give local communities a sense of being under threat.

Patriotic Alternative was established relatively recently on Britain’s political scene. The group’s website was registered in May, while Thomas began promoting it publicly in June.

During this period, he has organized meetings in several parts of England and said he aims to build a broad and structured movement against current immigration policies.

The group is operating in an environment where other far-right and extreme-right organizations are also active, including those linked to Tommy Robinson, Britain First, Turning Point UK and Patriotic Alternative.

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has publicly supported Patriotic Alternative. However, Thomas has clarified that for now he does not intend to align himself with any particular political party.

His plan is to create a “voting bloc” from the working class that could, at the next election, pressure political parties to adopt tougher measures on immigration.

It remains unclear whether Patriotic Alternative will support Reform UK or another political force. Thomas has clashed publicly with representatives of Reform UK after the party’s leader, Nigel Farage, called the Dover protest “disgusting.”

Christian rhetoric is another pillar of the group’s activities. Thomas has spoken about his religious faith, while during protests Patriotic Alternative has used slogans such as “Christ is King.”

According to the BBC, Thomas is also seeking to secure funding for the group’s activities through an American platform that financially supports Christian organizations. The aim is to raise around £5,000 a month for transport, boats and a studio, while around £9,000 was collected over the past month.

Experts believe that combining the movement with Christian language could be used to portray Britain as a country with a Christian tradition and Muslim migrants as a foreign presence.

The recent actions have drawn the attention of British authorities and organizations that combat racism. Hope Not Hate has accused Patriotic Alternative of using intimidation tactics to attract public attention.