Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas, better known as Danny Tommo, was filmed vomiting during a confrontation with police before wading into the sea as hundreds of protesters gathered in Portsmouth.
Thomas, an associate of Tommy Robinson and a prominent figure in the weekend’s demonstrations, had travelled to Portsmouth after being involved in protests in Dover on Saturday.
On Sunday, he livestreamed from Eastney as crowds gathered following the arrival of a small boat carrying around 140 migrants who had been brought ashore after a major rescue operation off the Hampshire coast.
Footage circulating on social media appears to show Thomas approaching a line of police officers and introducing himself before referring to the previous day’s events in Dover.
Moments later, he appears to become unwell and vomit before moving away from officers and entering the water, where he continued to be sick.
Claims over reason for entering sea
Social-media users claimed Thomas entered the water because he believed police could not arrest him while he was in the sea.
However, there is no basis for suggesting entering the sea provides immunity from arrest, and the reason Thomas went into the water has not been independently established.
The unusual scenes unfolded during a much larger police operation around Eastney Marina, where protesters attempted to block access roads as authorities prepared to move those brought ashore away from Hampshire for processing.
Thomas had encouraged supporters through a livestream to travel to Portsmouth and join the demonstration.
Around 500 protesters were reported to have attended, with public-order officers — including officers brought in from other police forces — deployed to control the crowds.
Police used riot shields during confrontations and imposed a dispersal order, warning that anyone refusing a lawful direction to leave could face arrest.
The Government subsequently condemned what it described as “intimidating and thuggish behaviour”, while stressing that the right to peaceful protest remained fundamental.
Despite demonstrators gathering around routes from the marina, Border Force said those brought ashore would be transported outside Hampshire for processing in the normal way.
Thomas has become a prominent figure at anti-migrant and anti-government demonstrations through his Patriot Platform movement and his association with Tommy Robinson.
