Tommy Robinson ‘Arrested Under Anti-Terror Laws’
Cameron Henderson, The Telegraph, July 28, 2024
Tommy Robinson has been arrested under anti-terror laws, according to his verified account on Twitter.
It follows a complaint over a film which was shown to the crowd at a march in central London on Saturday led by Mr Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon.
A post on Twitter said: “We can confirm that Tommy Robinson has been detained by police using powers afforded to them under the Terrorism Act 2000.
“That’s right, you read that correctly, Tommy is being held by police using counter-terrorism legislation.
“We will update you as and when we can.”
On Saturday the far-right activist played a “libellous” film to thousands of protesters gathered in Trafalgar Square.
Mr Robinson broadcast a one hour 45-minute “documentary” about a legal battle between himself and a Syrian schoolboy on large screens at a march in central London.
He is already due before the High Court on Monday accused of contempt for making the “documentary”, called Silenced, as well as for breaching an injunction against him banning him from repeating claims made in the film.
In 2021 he was ordered to pay Jamal Hijazi £100,000 for allegations he made about the Syrian refugee after a video of him being attacked at his Huddersfield school went viral.
The false claims, including that Mr Hijazi had been attacking girls in his school, were repeated in the documentary.
Thousands of flag-waving demonstrators turned out for Saturday’s march, where they were heard chanting “we want our country back” and singing Rule, Britannia!
As crowds watched the film, Mr Robinson posted on Twitter: “I’ll be jailed for two years for showing the inconceivable truth.”
The Metropolitan Police has been approached for comment.
