An order makes it an offence to conceal identities across nine Dover wards from 9am on Saturday 25 July 2026, according to a notice published by Kent Police.
Kent Police has imposed a 24-hour ban on face coverings across a swathe of Dover, coming into force at 9am on Saturday 25 July 2026. The order was brought in ahead of planned protests in the town that day.
Anyone found wearing a face covering without a legitimate reason will be asked to remove it. Those who refuse may face arrest.
The force published the notice at 09:02 on 25 July 2026, citing powers it described as allowing police to impose time-limited identity-concealment restrictions within a defined area. It expires exactly 24 hours after it came into force.
Nine wards fall within the designated zone: Buckland, Tower Hamlets Town and Castle, Maxton and Elmsvale, St Radigunds, Tower Hamlets, Whitfield, Guston and St Margarets-At-Cliffe, Alkham and Capel-Le-Ferne, and Dover Downs and River. That takes in central Dover as well as some of the outlying areas.
Officers have been in contact with protest organisers ahead of Saturday. A visible police presence will be in place across the town to provide reassurance, according to Kent Police.
The order applies to everyone in the designated area, including residents, shoppers and visitors.
Key information
- The order is in force for 24 hours from 9am, Saturday 25 July 2026
- It covers nine Dover ward areas, including Buckland, Whitfield, St Radigunds and Dover Downs and River
- Wearing a face covering without legitimate reason in the designated area is an offence under the order
- The legal basis cited by Kent Police in its published notice has not been independently verified