Tommy Robinson is cleared of breaching dispersal order at march against anti

Release time：2024-05-22 11:15:12 Source：Culture Chronicle news portal

Tommy Robinson has walked free after being cleared of breaching a dispersal order at a march against anti-Semitism after police paperwork used an inaccurate date.

The far-right activist, real name Stephen Yaxley Lennon, was today acquitted after a judge ruled the power used against him had not been legally authorised by the Metropolitan Police.  

Mr Robinson, 41, was arrested and pepper-sprayed at a march against anti-Semitism near the Royal Courts of Justice in central London, where the demonstration began, on November 26 last year.

The co-founder and former leader of the English Defence League was accused of failing to follow an order to leave the area.

Organisers had said he would not be welcome at the event, which was the first of its kind since the start of the current Israel-Hamas conflict and had about 100,000 people attending.

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson has been cleared at Westminster Magistrates' Court in London of failing to comply with a dispersal order at a march against anti-Semitism

The far-right activist, 41, was arrested in central London on November 26 (pictured) when attending the rally which organisers had wanted him to stay away from

Robinson was seen speaking to supporters at a rally in Whitehall, central London, this afternoon after his acquittal at Westminster Magistrates' Court

READ MORE: Tommy Robinson is pepper sprayed by police after 'resisting arrest' during march against antisemitism 

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The senior Metropolitan Police officer who signed the dispersal order barring Robinson from being there yesterday admitted it might not have been lawful after he wrongly wrote November 24 on the form instead.

Inspector Steve Parker-Phipps, who was responsible for policing certain aspects of the protest was imposed a Section 35 order under the Crime and Policing Act 2014, said his laptop was 'dying' at the time.

He had thought a 'right-wing group' could potentially be attending, Robinson's trial this week at Westminster Magistrates' Court heard.

Mr Robinson's defence lawyer Alisdair Williamson told the court there had been a 'litany of catastrophic errors' in the Met's handling of the incident.

Mr Parker-Phipps answered 'no' when asked by Mr Williamson: 'This document is not correct, is it? Can we have any confidence that there was a lawful order in place?'

Giving his ruling today which cleared Robinson, District Judge Daniel Sternberg said: 'I am not satisfied there was a legal authorisation.'

He told Mr Robinson: 'There is no case for you to answer.'

The trial was attended by numerous supporters of Mr Robinson who filled the public gallery and cheered him as he spoke to them outside afterwards - with footage later shared on his social media pages.

He said: 'I'm not used to winning. The judge today stood on the side of truth, but I've been in these politicised buildings too many times.'

Tommy Robinson was seen holding a microphone and attempting to interview journalists when arriving for his trial at London Magistrates' Court yesterday

The activist, seen outside the court on Monday, has now been cleared of failing to comply with an order to disperse at the rally in central London on November 26 last year

Tommy Robinson was seen being escorted away from the march against anti-Semitism on November 26 last year by police after arguing with officers for around 10 minutes

The English Defence League co-founder was seen being led away by police officers

READ MORE: Met officer admits dispersal order 'breached by Tommy Robinson at march against anti-Semitism' may not have been lawful after putting the wrong date on the paperwork 

He described what he called 'the emotional toll, the stress, the pressure, the thought of going to prison' of the past six months. 

During his arrest, officers had sprayed him with synthetic pepper spray and handcuffed him, after which he uploaded on social media a video of himself with partially closed eyes.

Other footage of him arguing with police officers was also posted on his account on X, formerly Twitter, with Mr Robinson insisting he was at the march as a journalist.

Earlier that month Robinson had posted on social media about his intention to attend the march, having had his X account restored after a previous ban.

Organisers Campaign Against Antisemitism responded by saying: 'No, thanks.'

Referring to clashes in Whitehall earlier that month, they added: 'The drunken far-right thugs who came to "protect the cenotaph" on Armistice Day, some of whom shouted "Sieg Heil" or hospitalised police officers, are most definitely not welcome.' 

Mr Robinson had jumped into a taxi just moments after leading far-right hooligans through London on Armistice Day, November 11, before they clashed with police in the Chinatown district of the West End.

Violent clashes broke out shortly after he departed, with protesters chanting: 'You're not English anymore' towards officers. 

Replying to an X user who told him he would have been 'arrested' had he stayed with the group, Mr Robinson wrote: 'I'm fully aware of that, I'm now with my kids enjoying some time. I've not seen them much recently.'

English Defence League founder Tommy Robinson was pictured in a cafe on November 26 before his arrest later that day

Scotland Yard arrested Mr Robinson after he refused to leave the area when asked to by police officers

ROBERT HARDMAN: No war cries, no angry chants, just solidarity with the UK's fearful Jews... As 100,000 people march against anti-Semitism in London, the release of a four-year-old hostage orphaned by Hamas reminds the world of their barbarism 

The November 26 demonstration against anti-Semitism at which he was detained saw protesters carry out a 90-minute march starting at the Royal Courts of Justice.

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, TV presenters Rachel Riley and Vanessa Feltz and actors Maureen Lipman and Eddie Marsan were among those attending.

It came amid regular marches in the capital condemning Israel's attacks on Gaza in its response for the October 7 massacre by Hamas militants which killed 1,200 civilians with a further 235 taken hostage from southern Israel.

Before today's ruling, Robinson had previously denied the charge of failing to comply with the order at his first court appearance on January 22.

Arriving at Westminster Magistrates' Court yesterday, Robinson was seen broadcasting for his 'Urban Scoop' platform as he held a microphone and attempted to interview journalists outside the building.

Last December he lost a court appeal to overturn his ban on attending London protests which he argued was an 'abuse of human rights'.

A condition of his bail after that November 26 arrest was that he could not enter the capital unless he was meeting with solicitors or attending court. 

A judge at Westminster Magistrates' Court did alter those terms to permit him to enter the area inside the M25 for meetings with political groups which had been pre-approved by the Metropolitan Police. 

But District Judge Michael Snow rejected the appeal against a ban on attending protests, on the grounds that Robinson 'showed significant hostility' to police on the day of his arrest and was 'likely to commit further offences'.

The organisers of the November 26 said it is the largest demonstration against anti-Semitism since 1936, with 104,000 estimated to be here

A large group  gathered outside the Royal Courts of Justice for the rally organised by charity Campaign Against Antisemitism

Among those taking part, pictured left to right, were Tracey-Ann Oberman, Eddie Marsan, Rachel Riley and Maureen Lipman

Former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, 59, appeared bundled up against the biting temperatures in a woolly hat, while 35-year-old Carrie held their child in a baby carrier

Poeple were seen on November 26 holding placards reading 'Never Again Is Now' and 'For Israel Against Antisemitism'

Delivering his verdict on December 11 last year, Mr Snow said: 'I know who Mr Lennon is. I know he has a particular view of matters and protests arising from what's occurring in Israel and within the Middle East.

'Protests which have taken place in relation to the ongoing situation in the Middle East are continuing, and it's likely, therefore, that Mr Lennon will wish to attend those protests, either to support or counter the position taken by others.

'I'm satisfied, because of the behaviour exhibited, on the basis of the allegations in the police statement, if Mr Lennon does attend he is likely to commit further offences.

'He is entitled to exercise his democratic right in a way that doesn't involve the risk of further offending.'

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