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migrant activist Daniel Thomas charged after dinghy slashed in Channel
BBC • • world
Key Points:
- Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas has been charged with criminal damage after a video showed him slashing a dinghy in the English Channel, with additional charges for failing to disclose his phone PIN.
- Thomas, 37, has been remanded in custody and is set to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court via videolink on Friday.
- The incident involved damage to a boat carrying migrants and a French coastguard official, with around 50 migrants transferred to RNLI lifeboats and then to a UK Border Force vessel for processing.
- A peaceful protest of several hundred people took place outside the police investigation centre in Basingstoke, with demonstrators chanting "free DT" before dispersing after the charges were announced.
- Hampshire Police are investigating the incident under laws related to criminal damage, endangering life, and maritime security, following the live-streamed video from Tuesday.
