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Tommy Robinson, the co-founder of English Defence League (EDL) and a prominent far-right British activist, has been accused by the media of inciting xenophobic and anti-Islamic riots across the UK.
Over the past week, several towns have experienced violent unrest following a knife attack falsely attributed by online users to «a radicalized Muslim immigrant». Amid this turmoil, the Daily Mail highlighted the stark contrast between the hatred fueled by fake news and the activities of the 41-year-old extremist, who has been commenting online from a luxury hotel in Cyprus.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has been the subject of an arrest warrant issued by British authorities since late July. Already convicted of assault, fraud, and contempt, he is now wanted for failing to appear in court.
In response to the Daily Mail’s coverage, Robinson accused the newspaper of «deliberately disclosing» his location, thereby putting him and his family «at risk». On his X account, where Robinson has nearly 900,000 followers, many users criticized him, pointing out how his actions have «made many other children cry».
Robinson was one of the first to widely spread the false rumor that the perpetrator of the knife attack was «a Muslim asylum seeker». The police, however, formally identified the attacker as Axel Rudakubana, a 17-year-old born in the UK. Authorities also suspect that some of those involved in the recent urban violence are «supporters» of the EDL, an organization founded in London in 2009 by soccer hooligans.
Potential terrorist classification for EDL
During recent demonstrations, Robinson’s name was frequently chanted, according to reports from Franceinfo. The French outlet noted that «even though he no longer holds any official role» within EDL, «his influence remains significant both on the streets and on social media». Despite this, Robinson refuses to hold the EDL accountable for the recent violence.
«The riots are the work of local residents who have had enough. It has nothing to do with the EDL, which closed its doors over ten years ago», said Robinson, who left the organization in 2013 due to fears of losing control over its «most violent followers».
In response to the unrest, the British government announced on Wednesday evening that it would increase police presence and take a tougher stance against those involved in the violence. Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner even suggested classifying the EDL as a terrorist organization.
Meanwhile, Home Office Minister Yvette Cooper warned that «keyboard warriors» would not be able to «hide». She promised that their actions would be subject to prosecution and heavy penalties. Earlier, the Director of Public Prosecutions in England and Wales stated that he is prepared to consider charging some of the rioters with terrorism-related offenses.
