UK police arrest six after anti-migrant mob storms wrong Channel port
Hundreds gathered at a Hampshire marina expecting a migrant dinghy that instead docked in Dover after 36 hours at sea.
What to know
- A migrant dinghy carrying 51 people spent 33-36 hours crossing the Channel after refusing French coastguard help, docking in Dover instead of the expected Hampshire landing site.
- Hundreds of anti-migrant protesters, inspired by far-right campaigner Danny Tommo, gathered at Gosport marina expecting the boat; six people were arrested for aggravated trespass and assaulting an emergency worker.
- Police are investigating footage of Thomas slashing a rescue boat at sea while a crew member remained aboard.
- Official figures show Channel crossings falling sharply (August lowest since 2018 records, 2026 totals down 46% year-on-year), even as anti-migrant protests continue.
The arrest count seems low given the scale of the protest and violence, and falling crossing numbers won't stop anti-migrant rhetoric.
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“Only six arrested? ... Not that the drop in numbers will stop the likes of Farage talking up the "invasion".”
@tompearce49 · Mastodon ↗
“increasingly likely that a small boat will need to be disembarked in the local area in the coming hours”
Dame Caroline Dinenage, local MP · Evening Standard ↗ · Sep 21
Daniel Thomas (Danny Tommo) Far-right campaignerDame Caroline Dinenage Local MP for GosportHampshire Constabulary Police forceUK Government / Border Security Command Government body handling Channel crossings
How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts
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Online reaction questions arrest scale amid falling crossing numbers
A social media commenter noted total 2026 Channel arrivals are down 46% on the previous year, arguing this would not stop far-right figures like Nigel Farage from describing crossings as an 'invasion'.
“Not that the drop in numbers will stop the likes of Farage talking up the "invasion".”
— @tompearce49 -
C
Aha, now that the far right 'protestors' are attacking Border Force, rather than menacing the streets in general, the police move in to arrest them. So, just to be clear: threatening behaviour towards people & migrants is 'expressing their legitimate concerns'... but attacking members of Border Force is clearly criminal. (I'm not defending the…
2 more of the top 3 · 6 posts in this stretch
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We shouldnt be holding China up as an example of how tp treat himan beings well. You're probably being flippant, but someone seeking asylum and claiming they dont kknow where they are from would be a stupid way to do because its obviously a lie. One of my parents used to interview asylum seekers about 20 years ago, and they would have cases where…
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Only six arrested? "A total of 17,480 migrants have arrived in the UK after crossing the Channel by boat so far this year, including 5,011 since Andy Burnham became prime minister. The total so far for 2026 is down 46% on the same point last year." Not that the drop in numbers will stop the likes of Farage talking up the "invasion". https://www…
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Government defends Border Security Command response
A Government spokesperson said border authorities would continue to process every small boat arrival, as officials noted August crossing numbers had fallen to their lowest level since 2018 records began.
“The Border Security Command works around the clock to protect our border and will continue to detain, check and process every small boat arrival.”
— Government spokesperson -
background
Hampshire police arrest six protesters — Two men from Salisbury, aged 19 and 36, were arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass; four people from Gosport, two men aged 33 and 67 and two women aged 31 and 32, were arrested on suspicion of assaulting an emergency worker after the demonstration turned hostile toward officers.
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background
Boat docks in Dover after 33-36 hours at sea — After British rescue boats were sent to collect the passengers, the vessel headed east instead of to Hampshire and docked in Dover, Kent, at around 12.30am with 51 migrants aboard.
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background
Hundreds gather at Gosport marina expecting the boat — Activists inspired by Thomas assembled at Gosport, Hampshire on Tuesday evening in the mistaken belief the dinghy would be brought ashore there; some wore black clothing and face coverings and chanted 'send them back'.
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background
Danny Tommo intercepts dinghy at sea, slashes rescue boat — Far-right campaigner Daniel Thomas, known as Danny Tommo, filmed himself going out to sea to try to intercept the dinghy; police are examining footage of him slashing the side of an inflatable rescue boat with a crew member still aboard before sailing away.
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background
Migrant dinghy leaves Normandy, refuses French rescue — The boat left the Normandy coast on Monday morning shadowed by a French coastguard vessel; authorities said occupants refused help, being 'determined to take all risks to reach the United Kingdom'.
Also covered reported alongside — the timeline has no entry for these yet
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first by Mastodon, 15h ago · also Guardian
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first by Mastodon, 20h ago · also Euronews
1 more headline
and 1 smaller piece
What people are saying 2 voices from 1 site · best of 6 · verbatim
- Yesterday
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https://www. europesays.com/3269063/ Six arrested after anti-migrant protest at Gosport marina | Police # asylum # AsylumSeekers
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UK police arrest six at protest against boat full of people that spent 36 hours at sea https://www. euronews.com/2026/09/23/uk-pol ice-arrest-six-at-protest-against-migrant-boat-that-spent-36-hours-at-sea About time these domestic terrorists were arrested...