A boat purchased by a right-wing activist to police the Channel for asylum seekers has accidentally sunk, according to reports.
Daniel Thomas, who uses the name Danny Tommo, is now crowdfunding to purchase a second boat through a fundraising page that has raised more than £21,000.
The page was set up to raise funds for his Patriot Platform group, an anti-immigration movement behind angry protests in Portsmouth and Dover this month.
Mr Thomas had bought the initial boat, named The Patriot, in April with donations from his supporters. One video posted to his YouTube channel in May appears to show him yelling at Border Patrol in the Channel.
Just a few weeks later, he took to social media to say that the boat had sunk due to sabotage, possibly by left-wing activists.
But, according to a report in The Times, the boat accidentally sunk in Littlehampton, West Sussex in June after getting into difficulty after developing mechanical issues at the mouth of the Arun River.
Mr Thomas said at the time: “I’ve done 14 hours in the boat, I’ve got a lot of love for that boat, and I don’t want to not be able to use it again. Especially after all the money that’s been donated.
“With everything I’ve done in the last few months, it’s hit me financially quite hard, and I’ve got no problems with that,” he said, as he asked for people to donate.
“I’m paying £400 myself, just need a little help with the rest if your able to!”
Mr Thomas has not disclosed that the vessel accidentally sank, but an invoice shared to his social media in June shows he was charged £1,775 by Littlehampton Harbour, including £758 for the use of a recovery vessel.
The associate of right-wing activist Tommy Robinson came to prominence earlier this month after organising an anti-migrant protest in Dover, which saw men in black clothing and balaclavas blocking roads.
He describes himself on social media as a “devoted Christian, proud dad and entrepreneur”.
His GiveSendGo page, which has a monthly goal of £10,000, says donations will be used to fund buses and transportation vehicles to “move patriots quickly, reliably, and independently without depending on outside hire companies”, as well as new boats and marine equipment for “essential water-based operations”.
Mr Thomas also pledged to use the funds for fuel, accommodation and secure facilities, a dedicated yard/facility to stage, maintain, and secure assets, and a professional camera, audio, and studio equipment “to document and broadcast the truth about the British resistance”.
The page says: “As British patriots from across the country, we are uniting to stand up, put boots on the ground, and drive the real change our nation desperately needs.
“This is not about profit or personal gain, this is about taking responsibility for our future. For many years, the British people have longed for a genuine resistance to everything we are seeing, the erosion of our sovereignty, our culture, and our freedoms.”
He has previously put out calls on social media, asking for people who own or can provide boats to get in touch.
His fundraising page adds: “The Patriot platform is that resistance: the organised, lawful movement so many have desperately wanted for decades.
“We are not asking for handouts, we are inviting fellow patriots to join a serious, collective mission. Whether through financial contributions, equipment donations, expertise, storage solutions, mechanical support, or hands-on involvement, every resource helps us become truly independent and unstoppable.”
The Independent has contacted Mr Thomas for comment.
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