Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas has been charged with criminal damage following an incident in the English Channel where a dinghy was allegedly slashed. The 37-year-old, also known as Danny Tommo, faces an additional charge of failing to disclose the PIN to his phone, Hampshire Police confirmed.

Thomas has been remanded in custody and is scheduled to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court via videolink on Friday. The charges stem from an incident on Tuesday when a boat, which had an emergency responder on board, was reportedly damaged in the Channel. Police had been examining live-streamed footage that appeared to show Thomas damaging the vessel.

At the time of the alleged incident, approximately 50 migrants who had traveled from Normandy in the dinghy had already been transferred to RNLI lifeboats. They were subsequently moved to a UK Border Force vessel and taken to Dover for processing. A French coastguard official was reportedly on board the dinghy when the damage occurred.

Chris Derrick, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Wessex, stated that prosecutors found sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and deemed it in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings. He also reminded the public that proceedings against the defendant are active and he is entitled to a fair trial.

Following news of Thomas's arrest, several hundred supporters gathered outside a police investigation centre in Basingstoke on Thursday evening, chanting "free DT" and "we want our Danny back." The demonstration remained peaceful, and the crowd began to disperse later in the evening after learning of the charges against him.

Hampshire Police had previously announced an arrest was made in connection with the damaged boat. The force confirmed it was reviewing the video footage that had been live-streamed, which showed what appeared to be Thomas slashing at the migrant boat.

The case highlights the ongoing tensions and complex challenges surrounding migrant crossings in the English Channel. Activist interventions, particularly those involving direct action against migrant vessels, raise significant legal and ethical questions about public safety and the treatment of asylum seekers.

Further details regarding the specific nature of the criminal damage and the full context of the events will likely emerge as the legal proceedings against Daniel Thomas advance.