LONDON -- Several coaches were damaged and one man was arrested as two opposing protest groups clashed at a service station on their way to demonstrations about refugees in Dover.
The tension continued in the centre of Dover as the demonstrations proceeded on Saturday afternoon. The far-right group was demonstrating against the arrival of refugees to the country, and the anti-racism group had organised a counter protest.
The right-wing group allegedly used sticks and debris found around the service station to attack, according to a witness from the opposing group.
At least one coach window was smashed and a swastika was drawn on a coach, allegedly in blood.
altercation at Maidstone service station. coachload of Nazis turned up and smashed up one of our coaches. #Dover pic.twitter.com/Ilm3scZLZB— bat020 (@bat020) January 30, 2016
oh look, our coach has been "decorated" too. #Dover pic.twitter.com/bVfrVtIGEA— bat020 (@bat020) January 30, 2016
The witness, Anindya Bhattacharyya, told the Guardian that he was inside the Maidstone services at junction eight on the M20 when the violence occurred.
“The service station staff bolted the doors and through the windows we could see a large group of fascists,” he said.
The police took the right-wing group away. One man was arrested on suspicion of possessing an offensive weapon. The other group was kept on board their coaches and surrounded by police cordon.
Police earlier had warned of disruption from the demos in the city, and there was a heavy police presence in the area. Among the far-right groups involved were The National Front, South East Alliance, North West Infidels and East Kent English Patriots, and at times the demonstrators gave the Nazi salute.
Video: There have been clashes between anti-racism protesters and far-right groups in Dover this afternoon https://t.co/uuJoWm9BRN— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 30, 2016
Diane Abbott, shadow secretary of state for international development and an ally of Jeremy Corbyn, spoke at the anti-racism event.
At big anti-fascist demo in Dover @AntiRacismDay @MrsCJeffrey pic.twitter.com/DjE0WoWzzm— Diane Abbott MP (@HackneyAbbott) January 30, 2016
Dover has been the scene of conflict between far-right and anti-fascist groups recently, due to a renewed National Front, according to Duncan Cahill of anti-racist organisation Hope Not Hate.