UMVA has learned that British activist Tommy Robinson was detained by police at London’s Heathrow Airport on Saturday, in a move that has sparked concerns about the harassment of political opponents.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was stopped for nearly three hours under Section 3 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which grants police powers at ports and border crossings to stop, question, search, and detain individuals. During the stop, officers confiscated both his iPhone and Samsung Galaxy device.
A spokesperson for Robinson claimed that authorities were seeking access to his communications and contacts, suggesting that the detention was an attempt to silence him. “Whilst our borders are open, whilst terrorist are coming in, Sudanese migrants are coming in trying to hack peoples heads off and rape our women and daughters, Tommy has been detained under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019,” they wrote.
The detention comes after Robinson has drawn global attention over his coverage of high-profile cases, including the Henry Nowak case in Southampton and the recent unrest in Belfast. Robinson was among the speakers at a large demonstration in Southampton following the murder of Nowak by a Sikh man.
Robinson has also posted extensively about a knife attack in Belfast involving a Sudanese migrant, which led to mass protests across the city. His detention has sparked concerns about the impact on free speech and investigative journalism.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the Metropolitan Police have declined to comment on the incident, leaving many questions unanswered. The spokesperson for Robinson accused authorities of trying to find out who his sources are, and to silence him.
This incident has raised concerns about the use of counter-terrorism laws to target political activists and journalists. Robinson’s detention has sparked a heated debate about the limits of free speech and the role of investigative journalism in holding those in power accountable.
