Far-right UK activist Daniel Thomas arrested after slashing dinghy
Thomas, 37, arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, endangering the safety of a ship.
British police have arrested a far-right anti-immigration activist after he live-streamed footage appearing to show him slashing an empty dinghy in the English Channel with a knife while a French coastguard official was still on board.
Daniel Thomas, 37, known to his supporters as “Danny Tommo,” was detained on Wednesday evening at a petrol station and remains in custody, Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary said on Thursday.
He was arrested on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life, endangering the safety of a ship and offences under the Aviation and Maritime Security Act and the Merchant Shipping Act.
Thomas, founder of the Patriot Platform group, approached the dinghy in a yellow speedboat while broadcasting to more than 15,000 viewers. Video shows him pulling out a knife and slashing the inflatable hull as a French official from the coastguard vessel Abeille Liberte remained aboard.