Anti-migrant activist Daniel Thomas has been charged with criminal damage after a video appeared to show him slashing at a dinghy in the English Channel.

The 37-year-old, known to his supporters as Danny Tommo, has also been charged with failing to disclose the PIN to his phone, Hampshire Police said.

He has been remanded in custody and is due to appear at Basingstoke Magistrates’ Court via videolink on Friday, the force added.

Several hundred people had gathered outside a police investigation centre in Basingstoke on Thursday evening believing Thomas was inside.

The demonstration, which seemed to pass off peacefully, began shortly before 18:30 BST. Protesters stood on the road outside the building and could be heard chanting “free DT”.

The crowd began to disperse at about 21:45 BST after they learned of the charges against Thomas.

Chris Derrick, Deputy Chief Crown Prosecutor for The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) Wessex, said in a statement: “Our prosecutors have worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to court and that it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.”

“We remind all concerned that proceedings against the defendant are active and he has the right to a fair trial.”

Hampshire Police earlier said an arrest had been made after a “boat that had an emergency responder on board” was damaged in the Channel on Tuesday.

The force previously said it was examining the video, which had been live-streamed.

A French coastguard official was on board when Thomas appeared to slash at the vessel.

Some 50 migrants who had travelled in the boat from Normandy had already been transferred on to RNLI lifeboats. They were later moved on to a UK Border Force vessel and taken to Dover for processing.