Who is Danny Thomas, the man behind Britain's anti-migrant protests?

Anti-migrant demonstrations erupted in Portsmouth and Dover over the weekend, linked by investigators and media to one man: Danny Thomas, also known as Danny Tommo. An analysis of the protests reveals how Border Force decisions and social media mobilisation combined to enable large-scale disorder.

Who is Danny Thomas?

Thomas is a far-right activist who first came to public attention in 2016 when he was jailed for two years after pleading guilty to attempting to kidnap at knifepoint a man named Graham Page. After leaving prison, he became a close associate of Tommy Robinson (real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon), though the pair appear to be less close now. Robinson has nonetheless expressed support for the weekend's protests.

Thomas has spent the past year filming himself harassing migrants on beaches in France and sharing the footage on social media. In July he announced a new venture called Patriot Platform, describing it as a movement by the sons and daughters of this island designed to take their country back and calling for mass resistance — though explicitly without violence.

How the protests unfolded

Demonstrators at Portsmouth blocked roads and disrupted a passenger ferry service. Separately, protesters gathered in Dover. The protests were fuelled by social media and carried the slogans Christ is King! alongside Stop the boats! — reflecting Thomas's stated identity as a Christian activist. Border Force decisions ahead of the demonstrations were later criticised as having made it easier for Thomas to mobilise local support.