Anti-racists are holding a rally to counter an anticipated turnout by a far-right group.

Stand Up to Racism and Medway Stand Up to Racism are calling for supporters to join them at the recently-renovated Market Square, in Dover, at noon on Saturday (March 4).

It will go ahead despite concerns it falls on the same weekend the Herald of Free Enterprise shipping tragedy is being commemorated.

The rally is described as an anti-fascist protest and a Facebook message from the organisers says: "Fascists have been emboldened by anti-refugee and immigrant rhetoric from politicians and the media that also increases general racism.

"Anti-racists from across Kent are calling for people to mobilise in Dover to show that anti-racists are the majority."

Organisers insist the rally has to go ahead despite concerns it falls on the commemoration weekend for the sinking of the Herald of Free Enterprise.

The Dover ferry capsized on March 6, 1987, killing 193 people, and the town's St Mary's Church is holding the first of three open days in commemoration on Saturday.

A joint statement was made on this by several groups, including RMT Dover, SEKTUC (South East Kent Trades Union Congress), the Dover-based human rights charity Samphire and the trade union Unite.

It said: "Samphire and the Trades Council feel it is inappropriate to hold any kind of rally. We also heartily condemn any far-right efforts to cause disunity within our town and community and find their choice of date incredibly distasteful.

"We will arrange an event in the near future to build opposition to the ideas of disunity."

In response a statement from Medway Stand Up to Racism on Facebook said: "We stand united in sympathy and solidarity with those who lost their lives on The Herald of Free Enterprise and their families, and we have no wish to intrude on their grief.

"However we are faced with a demonstration on March 4 by far right groups.

"There is already a great deal of hostility towards refugees. That resulted in a fire bomb attack on the Dover reception centre only four months ago.

"We have met again and agreed that the rally should go ahead."

Last October, three incendiary devices were thrown at the reception centre at the Western Jet Foil in Dover.

The suspect, Andrew Leak, 66, was found dead a short distance away and police believe he was motivated by extreme right wing terrorist ideology.

Dover has been the settings of several marches by far right groups because of the continuing asylum seeker crisis.

Those arriving in small boats are usually brought to an initial processing centre at Dover Western Docks.

Visits by the far right to the town are heavily policed marches.

Those demonstrators can face angry shouts and jeers from pro-asylum seeker activists.

There have previously been arrests, normally for relatively minor public offences but often little violence.

But on January 30, 2016 the confrontation between the two sides turned into full scale rioting.

At one stage there was a pitched battle with the rival factions at either end of Effingham Street throwing stones at each other.

That day had begun with a peaceful pro-asylum seeker rally with prominent speakers such as Labour politician Diane Abbott.

Rioters were later caught up with by police and jailed.

By the time this operation concluded in June 2018, 64 people were convicted and total jail sentences, some of them suspended, added up to 85 years.

The confrontation in April 2016 ended peacefully as police tightly hemmed in far right protesters as they marched along Townwall Street and their opponents were also kept safely back.

A police spokesman said: "Kent Police is aware of a possible protest in Dover on Saturday, March 4."

Stand Up to Racism has named the far right group it believes is coming that day and KentOnline has contacted that organisation for confirmation of its arrival and to comment.