At least 28 anti-migrant vigilante groups have formed in the UK over the past 18 months, ranging from unauthorized street patrols that claim to protect women and children to groups that have harassed migrants in France and blocked ports. According to an analysis by The Guardian, the number of such groups has surged since the summer of 2025, amid growing concerns about disorder. This rise follows recent incidents in which black-clad individuals, some wearing balaclavas, blocked roads in key ports like Portsmouth and Dover. These groups often argue they are filling gaps left by the police or taking action on migration issues that the government is unable or unwilling to address. Their activities range from small community patrols near asylum-seeker housing to efforts to prevent migrants from crossing the English Channel from France. One such group, Scots Active, conducts late-night patrols in Glasgow and claims to protect the public from migrants. The group sometimes wears balaclavas and stab-proof vests and states its actions are aimed at ensuring the safety of women and girls. Scots Active was one of two groups banned from TikTok earlier this year after sharing footage of what they claimed to be migrant accommodations. Another group, the British Security Project, describes itself as a civilian safety organization and has referenced a hypothetical "Rupert Lowe government" in its rhetoric. The group recruits volunteers for "visible deterrent patrols" and aims to deploy 124,000 security personnel in public spaces by 2035, according to its Facebook page. When contacted for comment, the group denied being vigilantes or anti-migrant activists, stating its focus is on lawful and peaceful volunteer work. Raise the Colours, another group, made multiple trips to France in 2025 to stop migrants from crossing the Channel in small boats. The group filmed itself claiming to have slashed dinghies on French beaches, leading to the banning of 10 of its members from France. Meanwhile, members of the far-right Patriot Platform blocked roads near Dover for several hours, disrupting traffic. Kent police later admitted they had failed to act on calls made the previous evening. In Portsmouth, about 200 black-clad men gathered after 120 asylum seekers were brought ashore, blocking roads and allegedly assaulting police officers. The UK’s home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, recently urged police to take action against these groups, telling senior officers to fully use their powers to address the issue. The rise in such groups is a recent trend, with most forming in the last year. Of the 31 groups the Guardian could trace back to their formation dates, 28 were established since last summer, with a notable spike in August 2025 following a flag-raising operation by Raise the Colours and unrest at an asylum hotel in Epping. These dates were gathered from online activity, domain name registrations, and media reports. To be classified as anti-migrant vigilantes, the Guardian requires that a group must have taken the law into its own hands in opposition to migrants or asylum seekers. Conventional protest groups and far-right political parties were not included. In a campaign of intimidation last summer, the Belfast Nightwatch First Division targeted dark-skinned males in the city, demanding identification documents. Dr. Julia Ebner, an extremism expert at the University of Oxford, noted the rapid and striking evolution in how anti-migrant activists are organizing. She warned that when public trust in authorities declines, it can lead to self-policing or even violent campaigns. She also highlighted how these groups use uniforms and security equipment to project authority, which helps them gain visibility on social media and attract far-right supporters. Alex MacKinnon, a researcher at Hope Not Hate, said while vigilantism has long been a part of far-right activism, the last 18 months have seen a dramatic increase in grassroots efforts by extremists. He noted that most vigilante groups lack proper vetting of their members, leading to some being exposed for violent criminal backgrounds. These groups often engage in intimidating behavior, as seen during the Patriot Platform demonstration in Dover, where aggressive anti-migrant actions were justified under the guise of "community protection." In response to the Guardian’s analysis, the National Police Chiefs’ Council emphasized the importance of the public reporting concerns about crime and safety. A spokesperson said that police are trained to handle a wide range of incidents safely and lawfully, and that taking enforcement into one’s own hands can be dangerous and may interfere with police investigations.