The hate-spreader and convicted criminal would probably not want you to read this.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – aka Tommy Robinson – has announced he is standing as an independent candidate in the European elections.
Anti-racism campaigners have warned the UKIP adviser’s election would prove a boosts to extremists on the far-right, with HOPE not Hate CEO Nick Lowles saying Robinson is ‘a convicted fraudster and a serial thug’ who has ‘made a career out of causing trouble and division.’
But there are probably some things you probably didn’t hear about him. Below we share 13 things you should know, from Hope not Hate’s new site, Tommy Robinson Facts.
1. Assault at his own rally
In 2011, Robinson was convicted of assault for an attack at an EDL march in Blackburn. After he was goaded about being a ‘police informant’ Robinson launched into a verbal tirade against those protesting against him. Robinson then proceeded to headbutt one of the march goers.
2. Luton football riot
In July 2011, Robinson was found guilty of leading a brawl that included 100 Luton Town football fans into a fight with Newport County fans. Fans were heard chanting ‘EDL till I die.’ For the crime committed, he was given a suspended 12-month prison sentence and banned from Luton football matches for 3 years.
3. Using someone else’s passport
In January 2013 Robinson was jailed for 10 months for travelling to the USA on his friend’s passport. Robinson admitted the charge of possession of a false identity document with improper intention. The passport Robinson used was under the name of Andrew McMaster. He checked himself in on the way out from Heathrow airport however when he arrived in the USA customs officials took his fingerprints and realised he was using a passport that was not his own.
4. Mortgage fraud
In 2014, Tommy Robinson was sentenced to prison for 18 months for committing mortgage fraud with the crime dating back to 2009. After pleading guilty in November 2013 to committing £160,000 worth of mortgage fraud Robinson was sentenced at St Albans Crown Court.
While passing the sentence, the judge told Robinson: ‘This was an operation which was fraudulent from the outset and involved a significant amount of forward planning.’ “I am satisfied you took part in a thoroughly dishonest course of conduct,’ he told him.
5. Used multiple racist terms in leaked video messages
A video emerged in early 2019 that shows him calling a taxi driver a “little P**i that drives a car” and dubbing himself “King of the whole Islam race”. He also bragged about his well-known drug use saying: “No matter where I’ve gone in the world I score… I’ve gone to f***ing Qatar, to Doha, and scored gear on the sesh while they’re all praying. Everywhere, mate, every city I’ve gone to.” [The Sun, 13/02/19]
6. Made comments that led supporters to send abusive messages to a rape charity
A rape charity for BAME women was bombarded with racist abuse from supporters of Tommy Robinson after a photo of its flyer offering support to victims from ethnic minorities was posted on Facebook by him with the comment: “I guess it’s ok to rape white women then?” [Independent, 16/02/19]
7. Called British Muslims “enemy combatants”
In a video recorded for his then-employer, RebelTV, Lennon called Muslims: “enemy combatants who want to kill you, maim you and destroy you”. He went on to say that: “It’s not a refugee crisis, it’s an invasion of Europe by military age Muslim men”. He called people from Somalia “backwards barbarians” and said that London’s Muslim Mayor, Sadiq Khan, is “part of an invasion into our country”. [RebelTV, 23/05/17]
8. Said “Islam is fascist and it’s violent and we’ve had enough”
At an EDL street gathering after the death of Lee Rigby, Lennon – surrounded by supporters in EDL balaclavas, saying, “Islam is fascist and it’s violent and we’ve had enough!” [Guardian, 23/05/13]
9. Said he wanted to repatriate every Muslim refugee from the previous 12 months
In early 2016, Lennon tweeted that, “I’d personally send every adult male Muslim that has come into the EU over the past 12 months back tomorrow if I could. Fake refugees” [@TRobinsonNewEra, 01/31/16 (since deleted)]
10. Blamed all Muslims for the 7/7 terrorist attacks
At an EDL rally in 2011, Lennon blamed all British Muslims for the 7/7 attacks, said, “Every single Muslim watching this on YouTube. On 7/7 you got away with killing and maiming British citizens. You got away with it. Next time you think about it you better understand that we have built a network from one end of the country to the other end. We will not tolerate it and the Islamic community will feel the full force of the English Defence League if we see any of our British citizens killed, maimed, or hurt on British soil ever again.” [YouTube, 07/09/11]
11. Ranted that “this is a war” in a message about Islam
In Rebel Media video Lennon said, “The reality is this is a war. These people are waging war on us. This has gone on for 1,400 years. This is nothing new. And the whole time while this goes on, the police leaders or political leaders want to invite more! They want to invite more!” [Daily Star, 23/03/17]
12. Lied about reasons for quitting the EDL
After Lennon left the EDL he repeatedly lied about his reason for doing so, only admitting later that he was paid thousands of pounds by the Quilliam Foundation. [HuffPost, 04/12/15]
13. “Deliberately distorted” attack on a school led to online abuse of headteacher
Lennon launched a “badly and deliberately distorted” attack on a Swansea school over allegations a teacher had removed his name from a board made by a pupil listing people worthy of respect. Lennon’s statements lead to threats after he named a teacher as a part of “far-left fascists” infiltration of the education system. [Wales Online, 16/11/18]
And that’s just the start of it. Visit Hope not Hate’sTommyRobinsonFacts.com for more.
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14 Responses to “13 things you need to know about European election candidate Tommy Robinson”
David Lea
A mash up of (mis) quots from bygone years out of contex is so passe. How old are you?
Janet Marks
David Lea seems to think that there isn’t a context for the above information about Stephen Y-Lennon, but surely the European Elections is the context. And ‘bygone years’ only go back to 2011 – hardly history, current affairs to me. Anyway apparently you can’t stand as an MEP if you’ve been in prison for a year or more, which Lennon has (12 month sentence in 2011 and 18 month sentence in 2014).
NMac
Yaxley-Lennon is a nasty unadulterated racist thug. It’s as simple as that.
IHateLiars
Everything here is out of context this makes you no better than those you pretend to be against, the reality is you are only against them because it can make you popular you don’t actually believe your own made up agenda.
Ken Patterson
Simply saying “Everything here is out of context” is not helpful.
Please tell us the true context and explain why the suggestion that Yaxley-Lennon is a racist fraudster and thug is wrong.