Anti-migrant activist arrested after video appears to show him slashing boat with emergency responder on board

An anti-migrant protester, Daniel Thomas, has allegedly helped lead a series of demonstrations against small-boat arrivals along England’s south coast in recent weeks. Thomas, known to his supporters as Danny Tommo, has now been arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, according to Sky News. The Hampshire Police reported that Thomas has been detained on Wednesday evening.

A statement from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said police arrested a man after a boat with an emergency responder on board was damaged in the English Channel. The force said it received a report of the incident on Tuesday evening, and the suspect remains in custody. The 37-year-old man of no fixed abode was also arrested on suspicion of criminal damage and two offenses under maritime law relating to ship safety. 

The force did not name him, as British police do not identify suspects before charging them. However, Danny Tommo filmed the arrest himself and posted the footage to his YouTube channel. The arrest comes after Danny Thomas posted a video online appearing to show himself slashing an inflatable boat with a knife. In footage on YouTube, Thomas appeared to shout “traitors” and use a knife to cut the side of the vessel that had allegedly been used by people smugglers to transport migrants in the Channel.

Facts always need to be confirmed before action

Thomas could be seen slashing and stabbing the small boat after a member of a rescue crew had boarded to take the vessel back to France, apparently. The alleged rescuer appeared to wear the orange uniform of France’s SNSM lifeboat service. In the video, Danny Thomas appears to shout that the boat is in English territory and orders the person off. Hundreds of activists gathered in Gosport on Tuesday after Thomas filmed himself going out to sea to try to intercept a dinghy carrying dozens of migrants. 

One officer is recorded saying the information he had been given was that Thomas had “been involved in criminal damage recklessly endangering someone’s life.” Thomas then repeatedly said, “I understand.” Danny Thomas founded the anti-immigration group Patriot Platform and previously worked as a bodyguard for Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.

The group has reportedly been behind recent south coast migrant protests, including efforts to block the port of Dover and stop migrants being brought ashore in Portsmouth. Robinson shared footage of the arrest on social media and claimed it was connected to an attempt to stop what he called an invasion of the country. However, police have described the case only as damage to a boat carrying an emergency responder.