Climate protesters are planning to blockade the main routes in and out of Dover on the day after Brexit to deepen any disruption to Britain’s food imports.

Activists say their demonstrations on major roads from the port will “cause major delays but nothing critical”, and will “highlight the need for emergency action” on the climate and ecological crisis.

But news of the plans by Extinction Rebellion organisers on Saturday 30 March was met with an immediate backlash from supporters, who warned that delaying food supplies was unfair and risked turning the public against them.

There are already fears that Brexit could disrupt imports and exports of many goods if Britain leaves the European Union (EU) without a deal.

Half the UK’s food arrives through Dover and Folkestone, and in spring around 90 per cent of lettuces, 80 per cent of tomatoes and 70 per cent of soft fruit is sourced from or delivered via the EU.

Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Show all 45 1 /45 Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block a road outside the Tate Gallery where Burberry held a show to protest impact of the fashion industry on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell told The Independent: “The industry has a greenhouse gas footprint the size of Russia. "Young people protesting recently are not going to thank grown ups for using up that carbon budget on throwaway clothing. “We can change things as seen by industries during WW1 when factories making one product, within months, making arms instead. “But we’re not here to tell everyone what to do. Extinction Rebellion is an alarm. We’re here to say it can’t go on, or we’ll drive ourselves into extinction for the sake of an economic model we think we can’t question and because we say we can’t change it. Well I think that we can.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Climate change activists block the road as part of an Extinction Rebellion protest outside a London Fashion Week event at Tate Britain in London, calling on the fashion industry to use its influence to help to create a sustainable world. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion activist models a coat made of real grass during a protest against the fashion industry's impact on the environment during LFW on 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A LFW fan poses for a photograph during a protest by Extinction Rebellion activists. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block a road outside the Tate Gallery where Burberry held a show to protest impact of the fashion industry on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists model a coat made of real grass during a road block to protest the impact of the fashion industry on the environment on 19 February 2019 during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell told The Independent: “The industry has a greenhouse gas footprint the size of Russia. "Young people protesting recently are not going to thank grown ups for using up that carbon budget on throwaway clothing. “We can change things as seen by industries during WW1 when factories making one product, within months, making arms instead. “But we’re not here to tell everyone what to do. Extinction Rebellion is an alarm. We’re here to say it can’t go on, or we’ll drive ourselves into extinction for the sake of an economic model we think we can’t question and because we say we can’t change it. Well I think that we can.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellon astvists converge outside the Tate during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW LFW fans poses for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019, at The Strand, London, where Extinction Rebellion activists staged a road block demonstration in protest of the fashion industry's impact on the environment. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists model a coat made of real grass during a road block to protest the impact of the fashion industry on the environment on 19 February 2019 during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion activist holds up a sign as LFW fans pose for a photograph on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Student and artist Sabrina Zahoe, 19, from Atlanta, Georgia, who studies in New York is a London Fashion Week fan. She said: “I’m very supportive of what the protestors are doing today. I say fuck fast fashion, so any kind of green fashion, I support tremendously. We do need to start thinking about fashion more consciously.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion activist holds up a sign during a road block outside the Tate Gallery to protest the impact of the fashion industry on the environment on 19 February 2019 during LFW. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Ella O’Brien, 17 (left) and Raffy Parsons, 16 (right) said they love London Fashion Week but are conscious of its footprint on the environment. Ella, who said she wants to make her own line of sustainable fashion in the future, told The Independent: “ think it’s improtant for people to be aware of how much they’re confusing and look into more sustainable options and be more mindful in terms of where their clothing is coming from, how it’s being produced. It is getting better but there’s a long way to go.” Raffy added: “Stopping getting new clothes when you could just recycle is really important. We’re both vegan so we’re trying our best.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists enroute to The Tate Modern to orchestrate another road block stop to adorn a statue with Extinction Distinction flags on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Vegan LFW fan Raffy Parsons, 16, said he is conscious about the impact of fast fashion. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists enroute to The Tate Modern to orchestrate another road block stop to adorn a statue with Extinction Distinction flags on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activist, Becky Boey, told The Independent: “The fashion industry promotes a culture of unsustainable need for the next new fashion, and once it’s over, people want to buy the next new thing. "Consumerism has gone out of control. We have to make some real changes to the way we think about our climate and wasteful society. "The fashion industry in this respect is significant because it has a huge influence on young minds. "But we’re a society that’s run on capital. We’re so focused on the economy, but economic growth is not in line with having a sustainable planet to live on." Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists march to The Tate Modern to orchestrate another road block while before a Burberry catwalk show takes place on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Clare Farrell told The Independent: “The industry has a greenhouse gas footprint the size of Russia. "Young people protesting recently are not going to thank grown ups for using up that carbon budget on throwaway clothing. “We can change things as seen by industries during WW1 when factories making one product, within months, making arms instead. “But we’re not here to tell everyone what to do. Extinction Rebellion is an alarm. We’re here to say it can’t go on, or we’ll drive ourselves into extinction for the sake of an economic model we think we can’t question and because we say we can’t change it. Well I think that we can.” Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists take a break at a small green space next to Temple station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion co-founder Tamsin Omond speaks to a crowd of activists about the impact of the action and the media coverage received. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists gathered for a break at a small green space near Temple underground station on 19 February 2019 Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion activists are followed down the street by members of the press during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors converge outside LFW, at The Strand, London, Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to protest against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW A disgruntled motorist stands next to his motorbike during a road block protest by Extinction Rebellion activist, staged to demonstrate against the fashion industry's carbon footprint near Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion protestor who joined activists to block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to demonstrate against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW Extinction Rebellion protestors block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to protest against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla Extinction Rebellion swarm LFW An Extinction Rebellion protestor who joined activists to block traffic at a road outside Temple underground station during LFW on Sunday 19 February 2019 to demonstrate against the carbon footprint of the fashion industry on Sunday 17 February 2019. Anu Shukla

On social media, the campaigners said: “While newspapers resound with predictions of empty supermarket shelves as a result of Brexit, this is nothing compared to the misery of climate crisis-induced famine and hunger. The Dover block will highlight the extreme vulnerability of British people to food insecurity and underline the need for government to take emergency action on the climate and ecological crisis.”

They said the blockade would be non-violent and was unconnected to Brexit.

“There is no doubt this will be a controversial action but rest assured, the Dover blockade will not stop medicine and food supplies getting through," they added. "This is a symbolic one-day blockage.

“It will cause major delays, but nothing critical. Its purpose is to tell to the public and government to wake up; very soon we could have food supply collapse and medicine scarcity because of climate breakdown.”

The Extinction Rebellion movement, whose activists are prepared to be arrested in mass civil disobedience protests, is also planning international demonstrations next month to try to force world leaders to treat climate and ecological breakdown as an emergency.

It will cause major delays but nothing critical – its purpose is to tell to the public and government to wake up Extinction Rebellion

Organisers insisted they had no political view on Brexit, adding: “There will be no food on a dead planet, only dead people.”

Supporter Lois Brooks warned the blockade could prove crippling to crop growers abroad, and Jonathan Griffiths warned it was a “massive mistake”.

He said: “If Brexit goes ahead as scheduled, Dover is likely to be in chaos regardless of this action. I think that XR acting to worsen this and the likely food/essentials shortages the UK will experience is a very bad idea."

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But another supporter said one day of action would have little impact on food supplies.