Far-right agitator Tommy Robinson ‘Faces Arrest’ Ahead of Major London Rally – Byline Times

Far-right activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – aka Tommy Robinson – and his anti-racism opponents believe he is likely to be arrested today (Friday, October 25).

Robinson posted on X that he was expected to attend Folkestone police station in Kent on Friday at 3pm, ahead of a major demonstration by him and allies this Saturday. On X, he said he was “going out with a bang.”

The anti-racism group Hope Not Hate, which monitors the far-right, suggested the arrest was likely related to his refusal to hand over his phone to police when questioned by police over potential terror offenses in July.

Robinson claimed he objected because of insider information on the device, related to contempt proceedings against him currently in the High Court (Robinson denies wrongdoing).

In a briefing held by Hope Not Hate, the group’s director, Nick Lowles, said the arrest could be made ahead of Saturday’s London demonstration because of the risk of exacerbating tensions on the day: “From a public order perspective, it is unlikely that any arrests will occur. to take place immediately before or after tomorrow’s demonstration.”

Contacted by Byline Times with questions about the arrest, Robinson responded with a Tweet abusing one of our reporters and urging him to “write whatever you want…”

Saturday’s demonstration in central London is expected to attract tens of thousands of anti-migrant activists.

Robinson has also been jailed for contempt of court. In 2018, he admitted to publishing information that could prejudice an ongoing trial and was jailed for 13 months.

It spurred a significant “Free Tommy” movement on the far right, with some rallies attracting 15,000-18,000 people.

Hope Not Hate believes Robinson is anticipating a similar response this time around, positioning himself as a “free speech martyr” for continuing to air a film, “Silenced,” that contains defamatory claims. The film repeats the false allegations he made about a Syrian refugee boy that caused him to lose a libel case in 2021, face huge damages, and later file for bankruptcy. .

Hope Not Hate claims the far-right activist only acknowledged his continued involvement in the film after the attorney general issued contempt of court proceedings against him this summer.

“He is convinced that his arrest will make him a martyr. The movement is strongly centered around Robinson personally,” Joe Mulhall, HnH’s director of research, told reporters on Friday.

There are questions about whether a new leader would emerge if Robinson receives a sentence of two years or more. Radicalized actor Laurence Fox he might be interested in the position, but “lacks the necessary charisma,” Hope Not Hate believes.

Nick Lowles states: “If he can’t quash his warrant, he will be (arrested) today, I’m sure of it.”

---

Robinson’s return to X/Twitter in November 2023 after a ban from the platform “catapulted” his influence, Lowles says.

After being allowed back on the platform under the billionaire Elon Musk – someone he personally thanked – had around 400,000 followers. Now it has over a million. His “Silenced” video has garnered 55 million views on the platform.

Hope Not Hate pointed to internal polls showing that two-thirds of the British population had heard of Robinson – a significant increase on recent years.

Joe Mulhall said: “Crucially, he is getting tougher as his reach expands rather than moderating his stance. In a recent podcast, he called for 745,000 people to be “rounded up” and deported from Britain. He embraces the “Great Replacement” theory and becomes increasingly conspiratorial. The concern is not just about him – his supporters adopt this extreme language and he radicalises young people.”

Mulhall claims that his rhetoric has become more extreme in recent weeks: “He began to explicitly discuss ‘white Anglo-Saxon’ identity, moving beyond his previous cultural nationalist stance. While he touched on these themes during the Black Lives Matter protests, he now openly advocates that white Anglo-Saxons are being replaced – a far-right narrative.”

Robinson recently released a manifesto which HnH believes reveals “deeply conspiratorial thinking”, including theories about gold reserves, alongside white people being deliberately replaced by ethnic minorities.

“This presents a dangerous combination: he’s drawing the biggest crowds he’s ever managed while becoming more and more extreme. We could see 30,000-40,000 people on the streets on Saturday hearing a great replacement theory – a narrative that usually only attracts a few hundred supporters at most,” added Mulhall.

Some Americans of the extreme social right MEDIA figures are expected at tomorrow’s demo. There are also likely to be strong religious – evangelical Christian – undertones.

Robinson previously sought the US asylum and he seems to believe it Donald Trump could intervene on his behalf.

X’s owner, Elon Musk, remains its most important American supporter – during July’s march from the courts to Trafalgar Square, Robinson’s live stream attracted 800,000 viewers, he directly credited Musk for his coverage.

He maintains longstanding American ties through the so-called “Counter-Jihad” movement.