A 37-year-old far-right activist known for organizing protests against small boat crossings has been arrested by British police following an incident involving an inflatable migrant dinghy. The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed that the man was taken into custody on Wednesday evening on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, as well as endangering the safety of a vessel.
The arrest follows the emergence of a video on social media that appears to depict the man, identified as Daniel Thomas, using a knife to slash an inflatable boat. Although the dinghy was reportedly empty of migrants at the time, a rescue services member was on board. In the footage, the man can be heard shouting, "You’re in English territory." As is standard practice, British police have not formally identified the suspect by name pending official charges, but he remained in custody as of Thursday.
Thomas, who is known by the nickname "Danny Tommo," is recognized as a longtime associate of prominent far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson. Thomas is the founder of Patriot Platform, a group that has been linked to recent anti-immigration demonstrations. These activities include instances where masked individuals have attempted to block migrants from reaching the U.K., such as recent protests at the port of Dover and efforts to prevent migrants from coming ashore in Portsmouth.
The U.K. government continues to face significant challenges regarding small boat crossings, with over 41,000 people making the journey across the English Channel last year. While the issue remains a focal point for anti-immigration activists and politicians like Nigel Farage of the Reform UK party, the administration of Prime Minister Andy Burnham reports that enhanced law enforcement cooperation between France and Britain has contributed to a reduction in crossing numbers by more than 40% so far this year compared to 2025.
Patriot Platform, a group Thomas founded, is behind recent protests in which masked, black-clad men tried to stop migrants reaching the U.K.Earlier this month, 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.Successive U.K.
