(FILES) Founder and former leader of the anti-Islam English Defence League (EDL), Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, arrives at Westminster Magistrates Court in central London on April 22, 2024, following his arrest at a march against antisemitism in November last year. (Photo by Adrian DENNIS / AFP)
London: Tommy Robinson is one of Britain's best known far-right agitators, boasting a string of criminal convictions and a big online following after years spearheading a vehemently anti-Muslim and anti-immigrant movement.
Accused of helping fuel England's worst riots in over a decade in late July and early August, Robinson was on his way back to jail for 18 months Monday for repeated contempt of court breaches.
It is the latest prison stint for the 41-year-old, who was previously sent to prison for contempt over a 2018 court case. He has also been convicted of various crimes on several previous occasions, including for assault and fraud.
A leading figure in Britain's increasingly visible far-right scene, with around a million followers on X alone, Robinson was prominent online throughout the anti-immigrant unrest that rocked the country three months ago.
He has long been a familiar sight at far-right rallies in England, but his influence was thought to be on the wane after various legal and other woes.
However, his profile has rocketed since his X account was reinstated last November following billionaire Elon Musk's purchase of the platform.
Robinson and his supporters now have the ability to draw large numbers of far-right sympathisers onto the streets, with thousands gathering in central London on Saturday demanding his release.
"They're locking up dissenting voices because they fear them," Robinson said in a pre-recorded video posted on X Saturday, labelling himself a "political prisoner".
"We are seeing a great awakening, an uprising of British people, patriots, coming together," he insisted.
