A Rochester man whose father was spotted during the Dover riots making a Nazi salute later told a police officer: “That is not a Nazi salute... It’s a Greek salute!"

Deaton Whitbread, 22, and his 39-year-old father, both of Mooring Road, have denied violent disorder during the January disturbances.

The two had joined a right-wing march through Dover “in support of lorry drivers” when there was a clash with rival anti-fascist demonstrators.

Prosecutor Don Ramble told a jury at Canterbury Crown Court that shouts of “Sieg Heil”, “No more refugees” and “Anti-fa..ha ha ha” were captured on some of the 500 hours of video footage taken during the clashes.

James Whitbread is alleged to have picked up a “cosh” and thrown it towards rival demonstrators.

The jury heard how a police officer interviewing Deaton after the protest asked: “(Your) dad’s just chucked up a Nazi salute and you can’t hear it but it’s on the footage. He shouts Sieg Heil.”

Deaton replies: “Which means hail victory. The Nazi salute is Heil Hitler. That is not a Nazi salute. It’s a Greek salute... it’s a victory.”

During a series of clashes, a variety of objects were thrown by both sides including, pieces of concrete, bricks, a dustbin and claims of razor-filled bananas!

His father told the jury how they had gone to Dover to demonstrate because “Dover means a lot to us and what we believe in. It’s a pivotal place.”

He claimed that left-wingers were trying to wreck the planned march by the right wing and “infringing our human rights”.

James Whitbread said he had been involved in three previous demonstrations which had all ended in violence.

He claimed anti-fascists – all clad in black, with face masks and carrying pieces of wood with red flags – had broken away from police lines.

Whitbread said he and his son then decided to walk through Dover College after being confronted by rivals throwing pieces of slabs, bottle and bricks.

When he was questioned by police he said he had gone to Dover to demonstrate, adding: “Imagine how we feel when we see our towns taken over, invaded, our youth raped, our pensioners attacked by foreign hauls (sic).

“I come from Croydon and I don’t know whether you have seen it but they burned my home town to the ground, right.”

The jury is expected to retire today.