Tommy Robinson jailed for contempt of court - Contempt of justice?

Tommy Robinson has been a danger to the British public for years. His recent admission of guilt for contempt of court adds just another conviction to his ever growing list of crimes and his recent sentencing is a reminder to us all that no one is above the law, no matter how much they seem to think they are.

Whilst Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, and his supporters argue that he should have the freedom of speech to say whatever he wants, it is important to remember there are real people who have been hurt by Robinson’s ‘free speech’. His admission of contempt of court follows a High Court injunction in 2021 that found Robinson was making libellous, false claims against a Syrian teenager, accusing him of attacking girls despite no evidence showing so. These allegations were posted online and gained nearly a million views at the time, leading to the teenager being, predictably, harassed out of his home. 

Despite being told these accusations were unproven and being legally prevented from repeating them, Robinson repeated the accusations two years later and, in a self-made film, claimed the state was silencing him for it. It is clear that the far right activist knew this would be in contempt of court as after showing the film to supporters in Trafalgar Square, in true patriot fashion, he promptly left the country the next day. Whilst Robinson may defend his actions in the name of free speech, his disregard for British law and, more importantly, his lack of care for the safety of others are an affront to the nation he claims to care so much about. Most importantly for the legalities of the case, Tommy Robinson is not being prosecuted for expressing free speech, but for ignoring very clear legal instructions that were put in place to protect a vulnerable member of society. 

It’s important that we create and preserve a society in which people from all walks of life and belief systems are able to express their opinions. However, this ability to express our opinions should not come before others' right to safety and their ability to live a life free from harassment. Tommy Robinson should not be able to drive someone out of their home in order to gain a few more followers, from whom he can repeatedly ask for donations when he once again finds himself in legal trouble.