Fury as permission denied for anti-immigration protest in UK seaside town

A far-right group's plan to hold a protest on Dover beach has been blocked over environmental concerns. The Great British National Protest group, led by Richard Donaldson, had announced a rally in a bid to "stop the invasion and get Labour out".

However, Dover Harbour Board, which owns the strip of beach the protest was set to take place on, has withdrawn permission citing serious risks to the beach's fragile ecosystem. The beach has vegetated shingle a rare habitat protected under the UK's Biodiversity Action Plan, with the area home to specialised plant and insect species. A spokesperson for the Port of Dover said: "Dover beach is private property owned by the Dover Harbour Board.

Public access is permitted for recreational purposes only and is subject to Harbour Byelaws, which prohibit protests and similar organised gatherings."

Organiser Mr Donaldson has condemned the decision, claiming that it shows that "vegetable rocks" are being prioritised over free speech.

In response, he has launched a crowdfunding campaign that has raised over £20,000 in a bid to launch a legal challenge.

He said: "Due to their concerns over the green stuff that lives amongst the shingle, we aren't allowed to voice our concerns and opinions."

Later, in a post to his followers on Facebook, he said: "We will continue with our plans on Dover beach, the probability of legal proceedings against me has now shot up.

"I won't give up. I will fight. We will fight. We will not be told where we can and can't go and what opinions we are and aren't allowed to have.

"As I'm sure you can appreciate, lawsuits cost money. I need to protect myself as much as possible."

Searchlight, an anti-fascist organisation that monitors far-right activity released a statement following the board's decision, warning of the implications for the weeks and months following any large event such as the one proposed by Mr Donaldson.

They said: "Events like this are invariably characterised by the consumption of considerable quantities of alcohol.

"In this case, it could be disastrous: by the end of the day there will be litter, broken glass and cans everywhere in the shingle and the sea. Children will be cutting their feet for weeks afterwards.

"How can you get toilets onto the beach? There is no vehicle access to deliver equipment etc. What if there is bad weather?

"For a former soldier, Mr Donaldson, the organiser, has not thought any of this through properly."

According to research produced by Searchlight, fringe groups have distanced themselves from the plans, labelling them poorly thought through.