Daniel Thomas, a 37-year-old far-right activist known for his anti-migrant agitation, is currently in police custody. He was taken into custody on suspicion of criminal damage with intent to endanger life following an incident in the English Channel.
The arrest occurred two days after Thomas released video footage of himself cutting the side of a small boat while a rescuer was aboard. Hampshire and Isle of Wight Constabulary confirmed the arrest on Wednesday evening.
In a statement, the force identified the suspect as a 37-year-old man with no fixed abode. He was detained on suspicion of destroying ships or fixed platforms, or endangering their safety, under section 11 of the Aviation and Maritime Security Act 1990.
I’m surprised by the leniency of just ‘suspicion’ right now. I’d expect charged already given the evidence is on video.
The severity of the charge reflects how dangerous this was. Imagine if the boat had capsized.
Does anyone else find it concerning that this took two days for police to confirm? Shouldn’t arrests like this be immediate?
This is absolutely outrageous. Endangering a rescuer’s life for a video stunt is criminal madness.