Full Breakdown
Danny Tommo livestreamed slashing of migrant dinghy in the English Channel
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event: Live-streamed attack on a rescue vessel
On September 22, a small inflatable dinghy carrying roughly 60 asylum seekers was intercepted in the English Channel after more than 33 hours at sea in “precarious conditions.” The Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) lifeboats, acting on a request from the UK Coastguard, rescued the occupants and transferred them to a Border Force cutter. While the rescue was underway, anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas – known online as Danny Tommo – approached the scene in a speedboat, livestreaming from his vessel. After the attack, Tommo sped away, claiming the migrants were being taken elsewhere.
Background & Context
Cross-Channel small-boat crossings have risen sharply, with a previous arrival of 140 migrants in September sparking large-scale protests near Portsmouth’s Eastney Marina. Gosport’s peninsula geography makes it a focal point for both arrivals and anti-migration demonstrations. French coastguard officials, monitoring the incident, later reminded seafarers of their legal duty to render assistance under international law and warned that interference could lead to prosecution.
Data & Statistics
- ? 60 migrants on the dinghy (French coastguard).
- 33 hours at sea before rescue; > 36 hours when RNLI intervened (RNLI statement).
- Six arrests for offences including assaulting an emergency worker (Hampshire & Isle of Wight Constabulary).
- ? 12 protesters observed near the dock site; ? 30 gathered at Haslar Marina; earlier ? 200 protesters attempted to block coach transports in September (multiple reports).
- The vessel was diverted from Gosport and taken to Dover early the following morning (Associated Press).
Official Statements & Responses
- Home Office (letter to Dame Caroline Dinenage, MP for Gosport): acknowledged awareness of the vessel and affirmed that, under SOLAS, rescued persons must be taken to a place of safety “as soon as possible.”
- Dame Caroline Dinenage (Facebook post): welcomed the decision to transport the boat to Dover, stating “this is a good result.”
- Donna Jones, Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and the Isle of Wight: wrote to the Home Office urging that migrants be landed in Dover rather than Hampshire, citing the county’s lack of capacity to process arrivals and the strain on police resources.
- The force also detailed the deployment of officers to Gosport and Portsmouth to facilitate peaceful protest and protect the public.
- Maritime and Coastguard Agency: confirmed that RNLI lifeboats from Hastings and Eastbourne were tasked, supported by a Coastguard aircraft, to collect the migrants and hand them to Border Force.
Criticism & Opposition
- Shabana Mahmood, MP, described Tommo as a “far-right and outright racist” and warned that state powers would be used against him if his group acted criminally near migrant housing.
Verbatim Quotes
- “Following news that the vessel would be docking elsewhere in the country, police were met with a group of people who remained in Gosport, some of whom became hostile towards officers.” — Police
What’s Next
Police investigations into the video and the alleged assault on a rescue worker remain ongoing. The six individuals arrested are still in custody, and the constabulary has indicated that enquiries will continue to determine whether any legal action will be taken against Tommo or others involved.