Hard-right activist Daniel Thomas, 37, has pleaded not guilty to criminal damage and failing to disclose the PIN to his phone after allegedly slashing a dinghy in the English Channel. Thomas appeared at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Friday, where he elected for trial at crown court. The incident occurred on Tuesday, and was livestreamed, with Thomas reportedly stating, “You are on English territory. This is England. This is not France any more,” while damaging the boat, which had an emergency responder on board. He was remanded in custody until his next appearance at Portsmouth Crown Court on September 29.
Prosecutor Kevin Lucie outlined the charge, stating that Thomas slashed an adrift boat with a knife. Several hundred protesters gathered outside a police investigation centre in Basingstoke on Thursday evening, believing Thomas was inside, chanting “free DT” before dispersing after learning the charges against him. Fellow hard-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, was present in the public gallery at the court hearing and posted on social media that Thomas’s legal team would fight for bail. Hampshire police confirmed an arrest had been made following the incident. Thomas, of no fixed address, also denied failing to disclose the PIN to his phone, under section 53 of the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000.
Our reading is that this incident has quickly become a focal point for hard-right activism, evidenced by the rapid protest outside the police station and the presence of Stephen Yaxley-Lennon at court. The livestreaming of the alleged damage suggests a deliberate attempt to publicize the act and galvanize support. The charges against Thomas, including failing to disclose his phone PIN, indicate a wider investigation beyond the immediate act of damage.
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