Far-right activist Danny Tommo has been arrested after a video surfaced appearing to show him slashing a migrant dinghy in the English Channel.
Daniel Thomas, 37, who goes by the nickname Danny Tommo, was taken into custody Wednesday evening by Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary. The arrest came after footage posted on social media appeared to capture him taking a knife to an inflatable boat while shouting “You’re in English territory.” The vessel was empty of migrants but had a rescue services member aboard at the time.
Police said Thursday that Thomas remained in custody. He was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life and endangering the safety of a vessel. British police do not identify suspects by name until they are charged.
Thomas is a longtime associate of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, one of Britain’s most prominent far-right figures. Through Patriot Platform, a group he founded, Thomas has organized recent demonstrations in which masked, black-clad men attempted to stop migrants reaching the UK.
Earlier this month, demonstrators wearing masks blocked the port of Dover in southeast England. They also tried to prevent migrants being taken ashore in Portsmouth on the country’s south coast. These actions represent an escalation in direct action against migrant crossings by small boat.
The English Channel crossing has become one of the most contentious issues in British politics. More than 41,000 people made the dangerous journey across one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes last year alone. Politicians including Nigel Farage of the hard-right party Reform UK have depicted the situation as a crisis, and anti-immigration activists have seized on it as a rallying point.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s center-left government has pointed to stepped-up law enforcement cooperation between Britain and France. Officials say this has helped reduce the number of people making the crossing so far this year by more than 40% compared with 2025.
The video that prompted Thomas’s arrest shows him targeting a dinghy already in the water, with a rescue worker present. The specific location in the Channel where the incident took place has not been disclosed by authorities.
Successive UK governments have struggled to halt the crossings, which involve treacherous conditions and have resulted in numerous deaths. The small boats are typically overcrowded inflatable vessels launched from the French coast.
Thomas’s arrest marks a significant development in the activities of Patriot Platform, which has moved from port blockades to what police allege was direct interference with a vessel at sea. The criminal damage with intent to endanger life charge carries serious potential penalties under British law.
The incident comes amid heightened tensions over immigration policy, with far-right groups increasingly taking visible action against migrant arrivals.
Thomas is expected to remain in police custody as investigators examine the video evidence and circumstances surrounding the dinghy slashing.