Updated Wednesday 06 Mar 2024

CASE FILE: Hugh Thorne (AKA Based Welshman)

Name Hugh Thorne (AKA Based Welshman)
Tags Anti-Migrant and Anti-Muslim
Categories Independent Activist, Influencer / Content creator
Related People/Groups Alan Leggett
Years Active 2020 – Present
Active Areas UK

 

 

Hugh Thorne is a far-right activist and “citizen journalist”. Thorne has a focus on anti-migrant activism as well as a broad set of conspiracies around COVID-19, lockdown, net zero and so-called “15 Minute Cities”.

Thorne’s audience on YouTube had stagnated around the 10,000 subscriber mark heading into 2023. However, having claimed he filmed for “six weeks” covering the anti-migrant protests at Stradey Park Hotel in Llanelli, Thorne saw a modest increase in his YouTube subscribers last year.

Whilst covering the Stradey Park demonstration, Thorne was arrested for aggravated trespass. He also appeared, and was live-streaming, at the Remembrance Day demonstration called by Stephen Lennon (AKA Tommy Robinson) and others, which descended into a riot as far-right protesters battled police around the Cenotaph.

Though Thorne continued to produce content in 2024, the low viewing figures indicate his increasing irrelevance.

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