At least 28 anti‑migrant vigilante groups have been established in the UK in the past 18 months, according to analysis by the Guardian. The organisations, active from Belfast to the south coast of England, have carried out a range of actions that local observers say veer from unauthorised community patrols to more aggressive forms of harassment.
The groups surfaced in greater numbers after the summer of 2025, the analysis found, and include black‑clad figures — many wearing balaclavas — who in recent days have blocked roads and ports in places such as Portsmouth and Dover. The incidents have prompted alarm about the potential for renewed disorder on Britain’s streets and at key transport hubs.
Activities attributed to the groups span unauthorised street patrols that claim to be protecting women and children, to operations that have targeted migrants in France and attempts to impede movement at ports. The breadth of tactics and the spread of groups across multiple regions have been cited as evidence of a broader, decentralised phenomenon rather than isolated local initiatives.
Campaigners and critics quoted in the analysis say many of the groups "use community protection as a cover for racist thuggery," and the rise in numbers has drawn concern from community leaders and commentators worried about intimidation, escalation and the implications for public order. The Guardian analysis is the basis for the figures and the account of recent incidents.