Elon Musk has demanded the release from prison of Tommy Robinson, a far-right activist currently serving an 18-month prison sentence in the UK.
On Thursday morning, Musk used his X platform to call for Robinson’s release, describing a libelous documentary by the English Defence League (EDL) co-founder as “worth watching”.
Robinson was jailed in October for breaching a court order by airing the documentary, which included defamatory and false claims about a Syrian refugee schoolboy who was attacked and bullied at his school.
Lawyers for the schoolboy, who successfully sued Robinson for libel, have said the activist’s false claims in the documentary caused “devastating” harm to the boy’s family, forcing them to relocate.
Musk, who owns X and is part of US President-elect Donald Trump’s team, shared the documentary with his followers and in a quick succession boosted and promoted posts from other far-right accounts.
New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch
Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on
Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters
“Why is Tommy Robinson in a solitary confinement prison for telling the truth?” asked Musk.
“He should be freed and those who covered up this travesty should take his place in that cell.”
He went on to blame British Prime Minister Keir Starmer for Robinson’s incarceration.
Musk also said that Jess Phillips, a minister in Starmer’s cabinet, “deserves to be in prison”.
Musks campaign to promote the far right
Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a prominent figure on the UK’s far right who has been in and out of prison and been involved in several far-right parties in the UK.
Known for staging large-scale far-right demonstrations in London, he is a former member of the British National Party (BNP) and the founder of the anti-Muslim English Defence League (EDL).
Who is ‘Tommy Robinson’, the far-right figurehead of Britain’s anti-Muslim riots?
Read More »
In recent years Robinson has also adopted pro-Israeli stances which have included visits to the country, supporting the occupation of Palestinian land and the expansion of Israeli settlements.
In May last year Robinson attended a rally organised by the Zionist Federation of the UK and Ireland. The event was attended by other far-right figures including the now Israeli ambassador to the UK Tzipi Hotovely who advocates that a Palestinian state should not exist.
Musk’s call for Robinson’s release adds to his growing involvement in British politics, in particular his support for anti-immigrant party Reform UK, which is led by Nigel Farage, a long-time Trump ally who recently met the incoming president at his Mar-a-Lago resort.
The tech billionaire has repeatedly attacked the newly elected Labour government, labelling the UK a “tyrannical police state” and predicting “civil war” over the summer when far-right pogroms swept the UK leading to vigilante groups attacking refugee centres, people from ethnic minorities and migrants.
Musk’s alignment with far-right causes has not been limited to the UK.
In Germany, he has faced criticism for endorsing the far-right Alternative for Germany party, calling it the country’s “last spark of hope”.
