Anti-migrant activist charged after ‘breaking into Port of Dover to shout at small boat arrivals’

A man is facing charges of trespass and harassment after allegedly breaking into the Port of Dover to film and shout at boats arriving on the British coast.

Daniel Thomas, who describes himself as an anti-migrant activist, is facing six charges brought by the private police force for the Port of Dover over activities in March and April this year.

At Margate magistrates court on Thursday, Mr Thomas, who is also known as Danny Tommo, pleaded guilty to going into a restricted harbour area at Western Jet Foil, a short-term holding facility for small boat migrants, without lawful authority or reasonable excuse on 31 March.

Mr Thomas, 37, pleaded not guilty to the other five charges, which included using threatening or abusive words or behaviour to cause distress on 1 April, and trespassing on Dover Western Docks and the Dunkirk Jetty “to film and shout at vessels arriving” on 6 April, as well as using racially-abusive words or behaviour to cause harassment or distress.

The Port of Dover has a non-Home Office police force funded by the port authority not the government. Officers in the force have the same powers as other constables in forces throughout the UK.

Speaking ahead of his court appearance on Thursday, Mr Thomas said: “The reason I am hear is because of my activism and my exposés in Dover. I did what I did to bring you, the public, some of the truth of what is happening on the south coast.”