Incident and footage
Video footage widely circulated online appears to show far-right activist Daniel Thomas using a blade to slash an inflatable dinghy in the English Channel while a rescue worker remained on board. Charities condemned the incident, which they described as a further escalation of organised anti-immigration protest.
Protest planned in Gosport
Thomas had publicly called on his followers to try to disrupt a planned disembarkation of asylum seekers in Gosport, Hampshire. Hundreds of protesters gathered in the area early on Tuesday evening in response to that appeal.
Border Force response
Rather than landing in Gosport, the Border Force vessels carrying the asylum seekers were reportedly taken to Dover and disembarked there early on Wednesday. The change of plan meant the planned local disruption in Gosport did not coincide with the arrivals.
Reactions and context
Charities condemned the footage of the dinghy being slashed and flagged the episode as part of a pattern of organised anti-immigration actions. The incident adds to tensions around Channel crossings and local protests targeting asylum disembarkations.