Danny Tommo ‘planned riots on beaches of France’

The split between Danny Tommo and Raise the Colours (RTC) is turning into a bitter war of allegations. Tommo’s erstwhile comrades have now claimed that he was planning to start riots in northern France. He, in turn, has accused them of lying and raising huge amounts of money which are not being being spent on…

Danny Tommo pictured meeting Ryan Bridge in a Birmingham pub in November

The split between Danny Tommo and Raise the Colours (RTC) is turning into a bitter war of allegations. Tommo’s erstwhile comrades have now claimed that he was planning to start riots in northern France. He, in turn, has accused them of lying and raising huge amounts of money which are not being being spent on activism.

First out of the blocks were Ryan Bridge and his RTC co-founder Elliott Stanley, who went on Facebook to read out a lengthy prepared statement where they listed a catalogue of highly damaging allegations against Tommo.

Ryan Bridge and Elliott Stanley attack Danny Tommo online
Ryan Bridge and Elliott Stanley attack Danny Tommo online

They claim that at a meeting two weeks ago he had behaved aggressively and announced plans to provoke a riot on the beaches of northern France.

Walked out

The group claims it “fiercely opposed” this idea on safety grounds, after which Thomas walked out.

They allege that Tommo wanted to take large numbers of supporters to France to join in the riot, without any concern for their welfare.

They also claimed that Tommo is, in reality, less concerned with activism than in monetised “content production”. They say alarm bells rang when Thomas set up his own PayPal link and website after an early RTC trip to France, gathering data and donations for “Operation Overlord 2”.

Bridge and Stanley insist that RTC neither authorised nor benefited from this initiative and that Tommo did not personally fund any of the trips he attended, all of which were paid for by RTC donations.

Unauthorised payment

They also allege that £2,500 was taken from Ryan Bridge’s personal credit card account without authorisation, and used for software now being used by Tommo.

The split became public after the French authorities banned several RTC activists from entering the country last week. RTC claim Thomas aggravated the situation by publicly attacking them online and “piggybacking” on the group’s profile.

Ryan Bridge with Danny Tommo
Ryan Bridge with Danny Tommo before the falling out

Relations deteriorated further, they say, when Tommo blocked them on social media, only to reappear during an RTC livestream to promote his own monetised YouTube channel.

This was followed, they claim, by a barrage of abusive messages when the group formally announced his departure.

Risk of arrest

Tommo has since called for supporters to travel to Dover on 24 January, urging them to bring passports and supplies. He has not spelled out, publicly at least, what is planned.

But it is now plain is that anyone answering this call runs the risk of getting arrested by the French police while Tommo, himself banned from France, will be safe on this side of the Channel.

Danny Tommo defends himself from RtC allegations
Danny Tommo defends himself from RtC allegations

Tommo hit back with his own video on X, accusing Bridge and Stanley of “lying on every level.”

He denied that his involvement in anti-migrant activism was motivated by money, claiming that he had incurred extensive costs in the course of his activities with RtC.

He claimed that repeated journeys from the south of England to Birmingham, hotel stays over several weeks, and the purchase of equipment including a stab-proof vest, night-vision goggles and tactical clothing were all paid for through donations from the public made directly to him via PayPal.

No input

He said that Raise the Colours had “no input” into these expenses and said the only cost he did not cover was the ferry crossing to France, which he estimated at around £250.

He also denied taking money from Ryan Bridge’s account: he claimed Bridge had accidentally selected a yearly subscription to a YouTube software programme, rather than a monthly one.

He rejected claims that he had advocated rioting or violence, describing himself as “completely anti-riot”, citing nearly nine years of activism in which, he said, he had actively tried to prevent disorder.

Danny Tommo on holiday with Tommy Robinson
Danny Tommo on holiday with Tommy Robinson

This, of course, sits rather uneasily with his online diatribe after the Southport murders in 2024, when he openly incited riots, ranting that “Every city must go up”.

But Tommo then launched serious allegations against RTC, claiming they had taken “a quarter of a million pounds, and maybe more” in public donations while delivering little beyond online commentary.

Both Tommo and Bridge, as we have said before, have unpleasant backgrounds. Tommo, real name Daniel Thomas, sports a conviction for kidnap at knifepoint after a drugs deal went wrong.

He is a close friend of Tommy Robinson with whom he went on holiday to Tenerife last year.

Ryan Bridge is a former football hooligan who is wanted by the Spanish police for an alleged multi-million pound holiday sickness insurance claim fraud.

Tommo concluded his rant saying that attempts to damage his reputation had failed because “people see through it”.

We wouldn’t be quite so sure.


Professor Colin Holmes

Professor Colin Holmes
Everyone who wants to understand contemporary racism and its historical background needs to read Searchlight.
Professor Colin Holmes
University of Sheffield

Paul Holborow

Paul Holborow

In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.

Paul Holborow
Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

Alf Dubs

Lord Alf Dubs

Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.

Alf Dubs
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Paul Nowak

Paul Nowak

The essence of trade unionism is solidarity, fairness and equality – for all workers – from all backgrounds. That’s why our fight against the far-right has always been part of our movement’s DNA. Searchlight is an incredibly important resource for trade unions and members to understand the contemporary tactics of far-right activity. Their work and intelligence gathering over the years have been incredibly insightful for the work we do, and how we fight the scourge of fascism.

Paul Nowak
TUC General Secretary

Peter Hain

Peter Hain, founder of the ANL and friend of Searchlight

British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.

Peter Hain
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Nick Davies

Nick Davies

To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.

Nick Davies
Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

Top ten most read