Protests · 24 September, 2026 · 2 min read
Daniel Thomas Slashes Empty Dinghy in English Channel, Hampshire Police Arrest Him
Daniel Thomas (Danny Tommo), 37, far-right activist, slashed a Channel dinghy with a knife. Arrested on suspicion of damage with endangering life; charged with criminal damage and PIN breach.
Whether the stated motive or the political reaction is foregrounded.
10 of 11 outlets skipped it: MP Dame Caroline Dinenage criticised Home Office planning.
28outlets compared
Same story, two versions
tap a side to read it in full
BBC
“We just wanted to make sure that boat was not taken back to France and used again,”Read the original ↗
LBC
“Another sad day for the country and another sad day for the South Coast to know that these men are being brought in.”Read the original ↗
One outlet foregrounds stated prevention rationale, another foregrounds political lament and motives.
Daniel Thomas arrested
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary arrested Daniel Thomas, 37, after a video showed him slashing an empty inflatable dinghy in the English Channel with a knife while a rescue services member was aboard. Daniel Thomas, known to supporters as “Danny Tommo,” was heard shouting “You’re in English territory.”
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said the force arrested a 37-year-old man on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and endangering the safety of a vessel, and the man remained in custody on Thursday. The incident occurred on Tuesday afternoon after approximately 50 migrants who had travelled from Normandy were taken to Dover for processing, and a French coastguard official was still on board when Thomas appeared to slash the inflatable hull.
Protests and supporters
Patriot Platform, the group Daniel Thomas founded, was behind recent protests in which masked, black-clad men tried to stop migrants reaching the U.K. Masked demonstrators blocked the port of Dover in southeast England and tried to stop migrants being taken ashore in Portsmouth on the country’s south coast earlier this month, and the protests drew hundreds of demonstrators.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, claimed on social media that Thomas was arrested for attempting to “stop the invasion of our country”. Hundreds of Thomas’ supporters gathered outside a police station where they believed he was being held, chanting “Free DT.”
Detentions and next steps
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said Thomas was charged Thursday with one count of criminal damage and one of failing to disclose the PIN to his phone, and the force ordered him detained until a court appearance on Friday. Police said three people were charged after protesters gathered at the marina in Gosport where they believed the vessel's passengers were due to arrive, and Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said six people were arrested during the evening.
“He was ordered detained until a court appearance on Friday.”
The protests in Gosport included people who chanted “send them back,” wrongly assuming the boat would be guided to the Hampshire coast, while the dinghy docked in Dover, Kent, at around 12.30am on Wednesday after 51 migrants on board reportedly refused help from a French ship and spent 33 hours at sea. The UK’s Maritime and Coastguard Agency said the passengers would be transferred to Border Security Command, and a Government spokesperson said, “The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.”