A far-right activist has been filmed slashing an inflatable dinghy with a knife in the English Channel while a rescue worker was still onboard, escalating anti-immigration protests targeting migrant crossings to the UK.
The black inflatable boat was filled with dozens of lifejackets left behind by passengers. As Thomas approached, a rescue worker wearing an orange hi-vis outfit and yellow helmet stepped onto the dinghy from a larger rescue boat. Thomas then stabbed the inflatable boat several times with a knife, slashing its side as air could be heard escaping. You’ve got time to get off the boat. Let’s go” before their boat moved away. The footage did not show what happened to the rescue worker afterwards. At the Gosport protest, several men dressed in black, some wearing face coverings, moved towards the front of the crowd.
The incident was livestreamed to around 100,000 viewers.
“Let’s get rid of that boat”, Thomas shouted as he moved towards the dinghy while rescue workers helped asylum seekers. After spotting the rescue worker, Thomas said, “Get off the boat. He then told his colleagues, “Let’s go lads. Chants of “Send them back” were heard as the protesters stood opposite police officers. “Hampshire is not prepared or set up to process people travelling into Britain this way, and the burden on the police to deal with the arrival and potential protest activity is unsustainable,” she said.
