Tommy Robinson says he has been arrested under Terrorism Act
GuardianJul 21
UK: Tommy Robinson Arrested Under Terrorism Law
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Above: Above: Right-wing activist Tommy Robinson is greeted as he attends a demonstration at Richmond Terrace, Whitehall on April 23, 2024 in London, England. Image copyright: Peter Nicholls/Stringer/Getty Images News via Getty Images
The Facts
Right-wing activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, was arrested at the Channel tunnel in Folkestone on Sunday under schedule seven of the Terrorism Act 2000 for not complying with a stop and search.
A day prior, Robinson had organized a "Uniting The Kingdom" rally between the Royal Courts of Justice and Trafalgar Square in London. The event was met by a coalition of counter-protesters, and a total of nine people were arrested due to clashes with police.
The Spin
Narrative A
If Robinson's blatant violation of his defamation ruling wasn't bad enough, tens of thousands of his far-right supporters, as well as several fellow far-right speakers, joined last weekend's illegal performance. Robinson's growing popularity has also gone from attacking Muslim refugees to targeting LGBTQ people, vaccines, and green energy. The UK is witnessing an unprecedented growth in hate-filled movements.
Narrative B
For simply showing up to a rally and speaking his mind, Tommy Robinson was detained for six hours and treated like a terror suspect, with police revoking his right to remain silent under the terror law. The irony is that while the police spend their time interrogating an innocent political activist, they're choosing to ignore actual pro-Hamas protesters filling the streets at the same time. The UK treats patriotism with disdain while propping up those who hate the country.
