LONDON, Nov 4 (Reuters) – British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson was cleared on Tuesday of committing an offence underneath counterterrorism legal guidelines by refusing to offer police his telephone PIN, thanking billionaire Elon Musk who he stated funded his defence.
Robinson, 42, whose actual identify is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has turn into a flag-bearer for some British nationalists and one in every of Britain’s most high-profile anti-migration campaigners.
He was stopped by police in July 2024 as he drove by border safety on the Channel Tunnel practice terminal in southeast England.
Prosecutors informed London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Courtroom at a trial final month an officer had turn into suspicious due to his manner, he was driving a high-value automobile, a pal’s silver Bentley, and was heading to Benidorm in southern Spain having solely purchased a ticket on the day.
Leon Neal through Getty Pictures
He and colleagues seized Robinson’s telephone and requested him to offer the passcode to unlock it. However he refused, saying he was a journalist and it contained privileged materials.
Giving his verdict on Tuesday, Decide Sam Goozee stated it appeared the police had detained Robinson due to his political beliefs and so the choice to cease him was illegal.
“Initially, thanks, Elon Musk … why has it taken an American businessman to battle for our justice right here and our battle towards terrorism costs for journalists?” Robinson stated exterior court docket.
Musk typically reposts his messages on X and appeared by videolink at a current rally in London attended by about 150,000 those that Robinson organised.
Earlier than his trial, he stated Musk had paid for his defence.
Robinson says he was focused by the state for exposing wrongdoing, however is denounced by critics as a far-right rabble-rouser with a string of felony convictions.
“I’m so glad that choose has given such a strong judgment now that claims it the way it was – I used to be focused due to my political views,” he stated. “On behalf of the federal government, counterterrorism (police) focused me to attempt to get entry to my telephone as a journalist.”
(Reporting by Michael Holden; Enhancing by Alex Richardson)
