Biography
Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon in 1982, is a far-right activist who founded the English Defence League (EDL) in 2009, positioning it as an anti-Islam street protest movement. He has consistently promoted anti-immigration rhetoric, particularly targeting Muslim communities and asylum seekers through demonstrations, online content, and social media campaigns. Robinson has faced multiple criminal convictions including contempt of court (relating to restrictions on reporting during ongoing legal proceedings), mortgage fraud, and public order offences, resulting in several prison sentences. His activities have included spreading unverified claims about asylum seekers and immigrants, contributing to misinformation in public discourse around immigration policy. Major social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram have banned him for violating hate speech policies. He has attempted to maintain political relevance through various far-right organisations and has connections to international far-right networks, while continuing to influence anti-immigration sentiment in parts of British society through alternative media platforms.
Toxicity Rating
| Attribute | Score | Justification |
|---|---|---|
| Cruelty | 6 / 10 | Documented stalking conviction and targeting of individuals through campaigns show deliberate infliction of psychological suffering. |
| Racism | 8 / 10 | Founded anti-Islam organization and consistently promoted discriminatory rhetoric targeting Muslim communities based on religious and ethnic identity. |
| Xenophobia | 9 / 10 | Extensive documented anti-immigration activism specifically targeting asylum seekers and immigrants from other countries. |
| Scapegoating | 8 / 10 | Consistently blamed Muslim communities and immigrants for various societal problems through his activism and public statements. |
| Superiority | 7 / 10 | Founded far-right organization positioning his ideology as superior and maintained connections to supremacist networks. |
| Selfishness | 6 / 10 | Multiple criminal convictions including mortgage fraud demonstrate disregard for legal obligations and others' wellbeing. |
| Deception | 8 / 10 | Documented spreading of unverified claims about asylum seekers and contribution to misinformation in public discourse. |
| Incitement | 7 / 10 | Led street protest movements and used social media campaigns that resulted in bans for violating hate speech policies. |
| Violence | 6 / 10 | Convictions for assault and football-related violence, plus leading street protest movements with potential for confrontation. |
| Corruption | 5 / 10 | Mortgage fraud conviction shows abuse of financial systems for personal gain. |
Convictions & Legal Record
Assault (2005, 12 months suspended); football-related violence (2010, suspended sentence); contempt of court (2018, 13 months); contempt of court (2019, 9 months); stalking (2021, suspended sentence)
Notable Quotes
Every single Muslim watching this... on 7/7 you got away with killing and maiming British citizens... you had better understand that we have built a network from one end of the country to the other end... 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. Islam is not a race, it's a religion, and it's a religion that's at war with us. I don't want to see any more children like those in Rotherham, in Rochdale, suffering because we're too scared to offend people.