Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

Supporters protest at court for Tommy Robinson

HUNDREDS of supporters of British far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson brought a London street to a close on Thursday (27) protesting his contempt of court case, which was later adjourned.

Around 50 counter-demonstrators chanted "Nazi scum, off our streets", as Robinson, who founded and later left the anti-Islam English Defence League (EDL), arrived at court for a hearing.


He is facing a retrial after an appeals judge last month quashed a contempt of court conviction - for a breach of reporting restrictions around a trial - and ordered his release from prison.

Nicholas Hilliard, the judge now assigned to the case, on Thursday asked Robinson's legal team to send more detailed arguments before deciding if, and when, to hold another hearing.

Robinson, who counts former White House chief strategist Steve Bannon as a supporter, won the challenge in August against an initial 13-month prison sentence.

He had been jailed for contempt of court and breaching a previous suspended sentence, having used social media to livestream events outside a court in Leeds, northern England.

He told reporters on Thursday that he was a victim of "political persecution".

The former football hooligan, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, set up the EDL to protest against Islamic demonstrations in his hometown of Luton, but it soon attracted a far-right crowd as it became a nationwide movement.

His recent legal woes began after he was first convicted of filming inside a court building -- an offence -- during a rape trial in Canterbury, southeast England, in May 2017, a year before the incident in Leeds.

His supporters, many carrying flags and placards reading "Free Tommy", chanted his name and mobbed him as he left court on Thursday, promising to return for his next court date.

Ralph Masilamani, 51, said Robinson was an "unheard voice".

"I may not agree with everything he says but we've got a right to freedom of speech," added Denise Nordstrom, 55.

But anti-racism protester Weylan Deaett accused Robinson of "trying to whip up division," adding it was "important that good people stand together so we don't have the tragedy that beset Europe before."

© AFP

More For You

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

Wes Streeting addresses the Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28),joined by Sir Lindsay Hoyle and Vikram Doraiswami

Streeting hails India’s global role as Labour backs bilateral relations

WES STREETING spoke of the priority prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour government attach to relations with India when he addressed a Republic Day reception at the Guildhall in London last Tuesday (28).

But the secretary of state for health and social care won over the large Indian crowd by paying an unexpected tribute to Rishi Sunak.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

Gautam Adani

Sri Lanka seeks to negotiate with Adani over renewable energy plants

SRI LANKA’S government started talks with India’s Adani Group to lower the cost of power from two wind power projects the group will build in the island nation’s northern province, the cabinet spokesman said last Tuesday (28).

Sri Lanka has been reviewing the group’s local projects after US authorities in November accused billionaire founder Gautam Adani and other executives of being part of a scheme to pay bribes to secure Indian power supply contracts. Adani has denied the allegations.

Keep ReadingShow less
Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

Kemi Badenoch delivers speech on January 16, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images)

Badenoch proposes stricter citizenship rules for all migrants

CONSERVATIVE PARTY on Thursday (6) proposed a clampdown on all migrants by tightening citizenship rules and barring social benefit claimants from residency rights.

Kemi Badenoch, who took over from Rishi Sunak in November last year, outlined her first major policy agenda as Tory leader in a move seen as an attempt to win back the support of Conservative voters drawn to the far-right anti-immigrant Reform party.

Keep ReadingShow less
Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

Pakistani zookeeper Mohammad Amir holds the confiscated lion cub at Lahore’s safari zoo last Tuesday (28)

Pakistan court gives unusual punishment to Youtuber Rajab Butt for owning lion cub

A PAKISTANI YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.

Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in south Asia, and his week-long nuptials in December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.

Keep ReadingShow less
Theft and violence in retail shops hit record high in 2024

The Labour government has pledged to address the rise in retail crime through stronger measures to tackle shoplifting and anti-social behaviour

iStock

Theft and violence in retail shops hit record high in 2024

THEFT and violence against retail workers in Britain soared to record levels last year, driven partly by criminal gangs, and are “out of control”, according to a report last Thursday (30).

The British Retail Consortium's annual crime survey found that more than 20 million thefts occurred in the year to August 31, 2024 – an average of 55,000 a day – costing retailers £2.2 billion.

Keep ReadingShow less