Convicted criminal-turned-anti-migrant activist “Danny Tommo” is under police investigation after livestreaming footage of himself cutting into a small boat while a rescuer was still aboard.
The incident occurred during a 38-hour standoff in the English Channel, as activists from Thomas’s hard-right Patriot Platform sought to prevent the dinghy from reaching Britain.
The 51 migrants on board were rescued by the RNLI and transferred to a Border Force vessel before being brought ashore in Dover last night. They were then driven away in coaches accompanied by a police escort.
Footage shows Thomas — who was jailed in 2016 for attempted kidnapping — bringing his boat alongside the dinghy yesterday afternoon, after the migrants had been transferred to a lifeboat.
Moments later, a French rescuer stepped onto the now-empty dinghy to secure it. Thomas then used a knife to slash through one side of the vessel.
“You’re on English territory. This is England, this is not France any more,” he told the rescuer.
Thomas then ordered the Frenchman to leave the dinghy and return to his own boat.
“Get off the boat, you’ve got time to get off the boat,” he said repeatedly, before shouting “let’s go” and sailing away.
Thomas later told his followers that the migrants were being taken towards Gosport, where a group of black-clad Patriot Platform protesters were waiting for them.
Instead, the migrants were brought ashore in Dover at 12.30am today, after making an unprecedented 38-hour journey to the UK from Normandy.
Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said officers were “aware” of the video showing the dinghy being slashed. The footage appears to have been recorded at about 4pm yesterday.
“We are aware of a video circulating online relating to damage being caused to a boat in the English Channel on the afternoon of September 22, and we are conducting enquiries into the matter,” a spokesperson said.
The investigation comes as the body of a man in his 20s was discovered on a beach in Neufchâtel-Hardelot, a French commune near Calais. Three journalists found the man, who local media have identified as a migrant.
Reports said a taxi boat carrying 80 migrants had recently left the area.
Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, brought his boat alongside the dinghy after everyone on board had been rescued by the RNLI
Seconds later, a French rescuer stepped onto the empty dinghy to secure it before Thomas cut through one side
The French rescue worker appeared not to react as the activist slashed the dinghy with a knife
Migrants were pictured today on a beach in northern France, where they were confronted by British anti-migrant activists
The migrants who reached Britain yesterday had departed from Port-en-Bessin, north of Bayeux in Normandy, shortly before 10am on Monday. They arrived in Dover just after midnight.
The crossing is believed to be the longest voyage yet undertaken by migrants travelling in a small boat, prompting the Conservatives to describe the episode as a “fiasco”.
Following reports that the dinghy was to dock in Gosport, in Hampshire, hundreds of protesters turned out in the town – and in nearby Portsmouth – but the effort dissipated after the boat was rerouted to Dover.
Hampshire Police described some of those who remained in Gosport as ‘hostile’ towards officers and said six people were arrested for offences including careless driving, assaulting an emergency worker and aggravated trespass.
About a dozen protesters were seen in Dover as the migrants arrived, and officers closed nearby roads in anticipation.
The dinghy incident raised serious questions over the effectiveness of Labour’s £662million deal with the French to prevent crossings.
French authorities, who shadowed the dinghy across the Channel, said they decided not to intervene due to safety concerns.
As tides took the boat back towards the French coast on Monday evening, it was so close to shore another 10 to 15 migrants were able to board, it is claimed.
Shadow home secretary Chris Philp said: ‘This latest fiasco shows that the French are not even trying to stop the illegal immigrants’ boats in French waters – instead they are escorting them here.
‘Our border security has descended into chaos with migrants crossing at will over ever larger distances and in ever larger boats.
‘The Government’s claim to smash the gangs is laughable and their deal with the French is clearly not working.
‘The Conservatives have a plan to end all accommodation and benefits for illegal immigrants, and instead deport them on arrival. Then, these farcical crossings would soon stop.’
Four French lifeboats plus the search-and-rescue tugboat Abeille Liberté, along with a French Navy helicopter, were scrambled to the 40ft dinghy’s location on Monday. A spokesman for local rescue services said: ‘The boat was in a very bad way, and very low in the water, with just a single small outboard motor to power it.
‘The sea was calm, and weather conditions were good, but the decision was taken to escort the boat, without intervening.’
The Abeille Liberté continued to follow the migrant boat yesterday morning and afternoon.
At about 4.30pm, the migrants were transferred from their dinghy to two RNLI lifeboats. Half an hour later, they switched to Border Force’s HMC Vigilant.
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A dinghy with at least 60 migrants on board began its 38-hour journey escorted by the French Navy
Before the French sailors handed over to the RNLI in the Channel
Protesters – some wearing masks – gathered in Gosport and Portsmouth as reports suggested the dinghy may dock nearby
Hampshire Police said it made six arrests in Gosport after some protesters who remained on the streets became ‘hostile’ towards officers
Photos last night showed the migrants making their way into a Border Security Command compound in Dover
The cutter then headed towards Gosport but last night the town’s Conservative MP Dame Caroline Dinenage said she was ‘pleased’ Border Force had confirmed the migrants were instead being taken ‘to Dover by water as we asked’.
She added: ‘This must now set a clear precedent. If further boats are intercepted in our part of the Channel, they should be taken straight to Dover.’
Hampshire Police said it was investigating a reported slashing of a boat in the Channel after a video appearing to show the attack was posted on social media.
Migrants are normally processed at Manston, near Ramsgate. This incident comes just over two weeks after a mega-dinghy with 120 migrants aboard was brought into Eastney Marina, three miles from Portsmouth’s main harbour, sparking protests.
Our News Outlet reported yesterday how a migrant boat reached Folkestone in Kent without being intercepted by UK Border Force. The migrants then arrived in Dover at around midnight.
Defence minister Luke Pollard said a Home Office investigation was under way.
Up to Sunday, 17,480 migrants have arrived via the Channel this year.
A Government spokesman 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.’
