Who Is Tommy Robinson? Far-Right Activist Behind London’s Biggest Anti-Immigration Rally

London: A far-right march organised by Tommy Robinson in central London drew between 1,10,000 to 1,50,000 participants on Saturday, September 13. The demonstration turned violent, leaving 26 police officers injured.

The “Unite the Kingdom” rally, held as a protest against immigration, saw Robinson’s supporters clash with police and around 5,000 counter-demonstrators in Whitehall, resulting in at least 25 arrests.

Who Is Tommy Robinson?

Tommy Robinson, born Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a British far-right activist and the founder of the English Defence League (EDL), a group known for its Islamophobic rhetoric and violent street protests during the late 2000s and early 2010s. He initially gained prominence as a member of the British National Party (BNP) from 2004 to 2005 and briefly served as joint vice-chairman of the British Freedom Party in 2012.

In 2009, Robinson co-founded the EDL, which he led until 2013. He later became involved with Pegida UK, a now-defunct British chapter of the German Pegida movement. Between 2017 and 2018, Robinson produced content for Rebel News, a Canadian far-right platform, and served as a political advisor to Gerard Batten, leader of the UK Independence Party (UKIP), in 2018.

Tommy Robinson has multiple criminal convictions. These include assault in 2005, passport fraud in 2012, mortgage fraud in 2014, and contempt of court in 2018. He served five separate prison terms between 2005 and 2025. His most recent sentence in October 2024 was for contempt of court, after illegally broadcasting a Facebook Live video of defendants entering a courtroom.

Robinson has frequently described himself as an independent journalist, cultivating strong ties with American right-wing groups and media outlets such as Fox News and Infowars. He has received funding from the US-based Middle East Forum, and former Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio has called him an inspiration.

His influence waned until Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter in 2022, which restored his account. Today, Robinson has over one million followers.

He has been involved in several controversies, including spreading false claims following a fatal stabbing in Southport in August 2024, where he wrongly accused the attacker of being a Muslim and urged supporters to “rise up,” sparking accusations of inciting riots.

Financially, Robinson declared bankruptcy after admitting to spending £100,000 on gambling and owing approximately £160,000 to HM Revenue and Customs. The Times reported that his overall debt amounts to around £2 million, with an ongoing HMRC investigation into unpaid taxes.