Who is Tommy Robinson and why is Elon Musk throwing his weight behind him?

Not contented with simply campaigning for United States President-elect Donald Trump and urging Germans to ballot for the far-right governmental party, Alternative for Germany (AfD) successful the country’s upcoming elections, American billionaire Elon Musk is ruffling governmental feathers successful the United Kingdom arsenic good with an online run to escaped Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist, from prison.

Here is much astir Robinson, who is presently serving clip for usurpation of an injunction but has besides antecedently been jailed for battle and contempt of court:

What has Musk said astir Tommy Robinson?

Musk, who was precocious named arsenic a peculiar advisor by Trump, posted respective times connected his X relationship connected Wednesday and Thursday, stating that Robinson, a notorious far-right activistic who campaigns against migration and Islam, “should beryllium freed” from prison.

Free Tommy Robinson!@TRobinsonNewEra

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2025

In different post, helium wrote: “Why is Tommy Robinson successful a solitary confinement situation for telling the truth?”

Why is Tommy Robinson successful a solitary confinement situation for telling the truth?

He should beryllium freed and those who covered up this travesty should instrumentality his spot successful that cell. https://t.co/Dn48JLoJgR

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025

Who is Tommy Robinson and wherefore is helium successful prison?

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who goes by the sanction Tommy Robinson, 42, is presently serving an 18-month situation condemnation aft helium admitted to contempt of tribunal during a libel lawsuit involving a Syrian exile schoolboy, Jamal Hijazi.

A video showing 15-year-old Hijazi being attacked by different teen astatine a schoolhouse successful Almondbury, Yorkshire successful bluish England, went viral successful the UK successful October 2018.

Robinson posted videos connected his Facebook relationship successful response, claiming that Hijazi had attacked “young English girls” and threatened to stab a lad astatine school, allegations that Hijazi denied.

These videos, seen by astir 1 cardinal people, led to Hijazi and his household receiving decease threats.

The High Court ruled successful 2021 that Robinson had defamed Hijazi and ordered him to wage 100,000 pounds ($124,000) successful damages. The justice besides handed him an injunction which prevented him from repeating the claims.

However, successful February 2023, Robinson began to repetition the claims and made a documentary which helium posted connected his X relationship claiming helium had been “silenced by the state”. In July 2024, helium showed this documentary to viewers successful London’s Trafalgar Square.

He was sentenced to 18 months successful situation by Woolwich Crown Court successful October 2024 aft helium admitted to violating the 2021 injunction.

His documentary, titled “Silenced”, is inactive up connected X and has 146.2 cardinal views arsenic of Friday. It has been retweeted by astir 101,000 people, including Musk.

Robinson was banned from X, past known arsenic Twitter, successful 2018. However, helium was allowed to instrumentality to the level successful 2018 erstwhile Musk bought it. Robinson present has much than 1 cardinal followers connected X.

In the past, Robinson has been jailed for battle (2005), owe fraud (2014) and contempt of tribunal (2024).

In 2019, helium was sentenced to 9 months successful situation for contempt of tribunal aft helium uploaded a video connected Facebook featuring defendants successful a transgression trial. The proceedings was of a pack of alleged enactment offenders who were accused of abusing young girls.

He founded the far-right Islamophobic organisation, English Defence League, successful June 2009. It staged convulsive demonstrations against Islam and was progressive until astir 2013.

Why has Musk thrown his enactment down Robinson?

Musk’s posts successful enactment of Robinson travel successful the aftermath of a semipermanent grooming pack ungraded successful the UK which Musk claims Robinson tried to stroke the whistle on.

In June 2022, an autarkic reappraisal recovered that the constabulary and assembly had failed to forestall intersexual exploitation of young girls by gangs successful Oldham, bluish England. The reappraisal identified aggregate opportunities to halt the maltreatment from 2005.

In July 2024, governmental leaders successful Oldham Council called connected the authorities to analyse kid intersexual maltreatment successful the municipality astatine the hands of “grooming gangs”.

But successful October 2024, Home Office Minister Jess Phillips rejected the council’s request, saying it should pb an probe itself.

On Wednesday, right-leaning British outlet GB News reported connected this and blamed the Labour Party, which swept to powerfulness successful July successful a landslide predetermination unseating the Conservative Party aft 14 years of rule, for its inaction connected the grooming gangs. The study was amplified by Musk, arsenic good arsenic Conservative leaders successful the UK.

Musk posted connected his X relationship saying British Prime Minister Keir Starmer had failed to prosecute kid rapists erstwhile helium was manager of nationalist prosecutions betwixt 2008 and 2013. He besides posted connected X connected Friday: “Jess Philips is simply a rape genocide apologist.”

Musk’s posts supporting Robinson travel on with a question of his posts supporting European right-wing figures online. In precocious December, helium wrote an sentiment portion successful enactment of the German right-wing enactment AfD. He has besides backed Nigel Farage’s far-right Reform UK enactment and Italy’s right-wing Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said Musk’s views are “misjudged and misinformed”.

“Musk’s enactment not conscionable for Tommy Robinson, but besides the AfD successful Germany, shows conscionable however large a occupation helium is for ideology arsenic good arsenic the estimation of those who cosy up to him similar Nigel Farage and Liz Truss,” Labour parliamentarian Stella Creasy told Politico.

In December, Farage met Musk astatine Trump’s Mar-a-Lago edifice successful Florida. On Thursday, Musk posted connected X “Only Reform tin prevention Britain”.

Only Reform tin prevention Britain. https://t.co/KayCknFQUZ

— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025

In 2018, Farage resigned from the UK Independence Party (UKIP) aft its person Gerard Batten appointed Robinson arsenic an authoritative adviser.

Reform’s president Zia Yusuf is besides Muslim. Farage has yet to publically respond to Musk’s caller posts astir Robinson.