Tommy Robinson – Hero or Villain

Having been off my radar for some time, various events and triggers have conspired to put Tommy Robinson back onto to it, and for good reason in the light of some of the grave threats I have seen that face the UK and the World, which I have recently blogged on; ones which Tommy recognises and speaks concerning.

According to Wikipedia: “Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon (born 27 November 1982), better known as Tommy Robinson, is a British far-right, Islamophobic activist, and convicted criminal on multiple counts of violence and fraud as well as other crimes. He is the co-founder and former leader of the English Defence League, and later served as a political advisor to former UKIP leader Gerard Batten. Robinson has been active in far-right politics for many years. He was a member of the neo-fascist and white nationalist British National Party (BNP) from 2004 to 2005. For a short time in 2012, he was joint vice-chairman of the British Freedom Party (BFP). Robinson led the EDL from 2009 until 8 October 2013. He continued as an activist, and in 2015 became involved with the development of Pegida UK, a now defunct British chapter of the German-based far-right organisation Pegida. From 2017 to 2018, Robinson wrote for and appeared in online videos for Rebel News, a Canadian far-right political website. Robinson has a long-standing criminal record …”

I was both disappointed and not disappointed reading this. My disappointment was that due to its evident bias Wikipedia cannot be trusted as a reliable source, even though it is one I often quote, because it both gives the “other” side and often provides useful information on a huge range of subjects. My non disappointment was that it confirmed what I suspected before I read what it had to say and that it would reflect the nigh vitriolic anti-Tommy sentiment that is evident throughout many sectors of society, including it being a factor in my falling out with a respected local Christian minister.   

It was over five years ago when I wrote my “Tommy Robinson, Speakers Corner and the Time to Speak” blog and still the issues and concerns I raised then apply, and so do my views on Tommy. I am grateful to one of my Telegram contacts for sharing a link to a 45-minute video, titled: “Tommy Robinson presents ‘Silenced’ in Copenhagen, April 1st 2023” which reveals what was said when he was invited to Christiansborg Palace in Copenhagen by the Danish People’s Party and The Free Press Society to premiere his new documentary ‘Silenced’. It was refreshing to see people in a country I know little about asking what I consider to be the right and important questions with Tommy giving more than satisfactory responses. Then there was the “‘SILENCED’ UNEDITED │ BANNED Film” he produced.

I found the 1 hour 45 minutes watching this film to be a riveting as well as an uncomfortable experience. While I don’t know enough to say I accept every point Tommy made (without first finding out how those in the know responded to the questions he raised) a lot of these resonated with what I am sensing to be the case here in the UK as well as the wider world. The central event in the film was a Syrian refugee lad being beaten up (mildly as it happens) by a white lad and the narrative being spun that this was a racist, Islamophobic attack by the perpetrator whereas the “victim” was a little **** (something verified by many) who had it coming to him if any attack could be justified. What followed was the hounding of the lad who did the attack, and his family, and the gagging / bribing of those who might tell the truth, led by those I refer to as the Unholy Trinity.  

A lot more could be said but if you want to know more then go watch the film and see where the points Tommy Robinson made are refuted. What is concerning is it is likely we are being fed a lie. It may be one incident (albeit one that had if Tommy is to believed received worldwide attention) but it is concerning as one wonders where this might end and we see further examples of free speech being curtailed to satisfy what can only be taken as a nefarious agenda where truth no longer matters. One is left wondering, as with the USA, whether we can trust the UK criminal justice system.

As for whether Tommy is a hero or a villain, notwithstanding the fact he does have a criminal record, in my book he is a hero and the likes of my Christian minister ex-friend and smug media types like Piers Morgan, the gatekeepers of social media, including Elon Musk despite his rhetoric, the cowardly and chancers who succumb to threats or bribes, the virtue signalling Westminster and local politicians, and certain police chiefs and judges, are in this case, and who can say how many others, the real villains. Tommy describes himself as a citizen journalist, and he is not only right to do so but he is needed because many journalists suppress the truth.