Right-wing activist David Thomas was on a small boat in the English Channel on Tuesday, September 22nd, during the day. He streamed live on YouTube, following two boats carrying asylum seekers from France to Great Britain.
According to The Guardian, at the beginning of Tuesday evening, hundreds of protesters gathered in Gosport, Hampshire, to prevent the planned landing of asylum seekers.
The vessels docked in Dieppe on Wednesday morning. However, the demonstration took a new turn when David Thomas, who introduced himself as Danny Tommo, began following the two migrant boats. The activist also filmed damage to the vessels.
The Guardian explains that while rescuers were helping migrants get onto a vessel, the right-wing activist approached and shouted, 'Let's get rid of this boat.' The British publication reports that only life jackets left by the migrants shortly before were in the boat.
The recordings show the boat where the activist was located approaching the inflatable boat and beginning to puncture its side with a knife. He exclaimed, 'This is England. This is no longer France.' It should be noted that a rescuer was still on board the inflatable boat. Thomas shouted, 'Get out of the boat! You have time to get out!'
According to The Guardian, the asylum seekers spent about 36 hours at sea in harsh conditions. They were later transferred to a Coastguard vessel and taken to Dieppe.
Authorities have launched an investigation and reported that six arrests were made on charges including assault and intentional intrusion with aggravating circumstances. Furthermore, the police are analyzing David Thomas's video, according to the BBC.
Previously, David Thomas served two years in prison after being convicted of attempted kidnapping. After serving his sentence, he founded the anti-immigration movement Patriot Platform.