Anti-migrant far-right thugs chanted "Rule Britannia" and "I'm England 'til I die" as they clashed with police and tried to block a main road into Dover.
Hundreds of demonstrators marched against pro-migrant activists and tried to stop traffic entering the Kent seaside town today that has become a flash-point for the refugee crisis in the UK.
The Kent Anti-Racism Network (KARN) marched in a 'solidarity stand' in Dover this morning to show support for asylum-seekers in the UK who have fled their war-torn home countries.
The event, called 'We Stand With You', was organised following the death of Sudanese man Abdulfatah Hamdallah in August, who drowned while trying to cross the channel.
But nationalist groups vowed to hold their own anti-migration demonstration - stoking fears of a repeat of trouble in 2016 when opposing sides clashed in violent scenes in the Kent seaside town.
It comes against a back-drop of an increase in channel crossings, as people seeking asylum make the perilous journey across one of the world's busiest shipping lanes to forge new lives for themselves and their families.
On Wednesday more than 400 people made their way to Kent's shores on flimsy craft, the highest number in a single day.
As the march got going today, a far-right YouTuber calling himself the 'Little Veteran' led a handful of nationalist protesters past the traffic trying to instigate a 'go slow' along the A20 towards Dover Marina.
Traffic on both carriageways was then brought to a complete standstill on the road as nationalist tempers began to rise.
Officers detained one protester as vehicles parked across both carriageways, leaving a snaking queue of traffic on both sides.
Another protester with a ripped shirt was also dragged away by officers wearing masks.
One man on a loud hailer can be heard saying "Don't push me, don't touch me, I'm allowed to be here", as another was being restrained on the ground by a group of police.
Protesters on both sides of the road started chanting, led by the megaphone of the 'Little Veteran'.
Mounted police officers made their way through the crowds, as a growing group gathered outside the Golden Lion Pub.
In a video posted to his YouTube channel yesterday, the Little Veteran said: "The times are changing in this country, and it starts tomorrow. This is the day we're fighting and we're not moving backwards."
One protester screamed abuse as he walked past two officers and a man who travelled to Kent from Essex for the demonstration laughed and told the police that it was 'just banter'.
More than a hundred protesters chanted "shame on you" to the kettle line of officers as they tried to direct them away from the main road.
A handful of activists told the officers to take the knee for veterans with chants of "Rule Britannia" ringing out as police pushed the group back.
The front of the marching group had banners reading, 'How many illegal immigrants are terrorists' and '4,200 homeless veterans abandoned'.
One man began a chant of 'Three German bombers', before spluttering towards the end, saying to the woman beside him 'that's what drink will do to you'.
Before the march today, the mayor of Folkestone, Michelle Keutenius, took the microphone to address the anti-racist crowd.
She shouted: "I am the mayor of Folkestone and I'm here to support a proud tradition - Folkestone welcomes refugees."
A handful of dissenters gathered at the back of the crowd, heckling the mayor as she made her speech.
There was a heavy police presence across the square, with around 20 officers, officers on horseback and four police vehicles keeping an eye on proceedings.
At Dover Priory station, nationalist protesters gathered in groups, waved flags and took selfies.
One group posed for photographs, raising a banner identifying themselves as football hooligan group the 'Chelsea Headhunters', who have historical links to white supremacists groups such as Combat 18 and the National Front.
Another phrase printed across the flag was 'Smash Antifa' - the disparate anti-facist movement.
Dave Robinson was due to open Vinoteq Wine, a wine bar on the high street next month, when he woke up to find anti-migration posters smeared across his windows.
He believes a group of nationalists came by the premises yesterday (Fri) evening to paste them on the shop front.
He said: "We've tried to take off as much of it as we can but it's going to take us an age to get rid of all the chemicals they've used to stick them on."
