UK Anti-Migrant Group Leader Pleads Not Guilty to Small Boat Criminal Damage
Details of the Incident and Legal Proceedings
LONDON, Sept 25 (Reuters) - The founder of the British anti-migrant Patriot Platform group, which has mobilised hundreds of protesters in recent weeks, on Friday denied criminal damage by slashing a small boat which had taken dozens of migrants from France.
Background on Patriot Platform and Daniel Thomas
Daniel Thomas, widely known as "Danny Tommo", has built a large online following and recently founded Patriot Platform, a group focused on people arriving in Britain across the Channel on small boats.
Recent Protests and Public Response
Earlier this month, hundreds of black-clad protesters gathered twice in two days on Britain's south coast, blocking streets in response to arrivals of small boats, which a government minister described as "thuggish".
Trends in Small Boat Arrivals
The numbers of those arriving in small boats have fallen, though 781 people arrived on Wednesday – the most on a single day in 2026 – and the crossings remain a prominent political issue which has dogged successive British governments.
Political and Social Reactions
Right-wing opposition parties and anti-migration activists have called for more action, but greater cooperation with French authorities and even repeated deaths have not deterred many people from seeking to make the perilous journey.
Events Leading to the Charges
Thomas livestreamed himself on Tuesday following a small boat through the Channel, with the migrants then transferred onto a vessel and taken ashore.
They were initially intended to be taken to the town of Gosport, near Britain's south coast, but were diverted after several hundred people gathered to protest the plans.
Legal Charges and Court Proceedings
Thomas, 37, is charged with criminal damage by slashing at a small boat with a knife while a rescue worker was on board and a further charge of failing to provide the PIN code for his phone.
He appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court and pleaded not guilty to both charges. Thomas was remanded in custody ahead of his next appearance at Portsmouth Crown Court next week.
(Reporting by Sam Tobin; Editing by Toby Chopra)