Far-right figure Tommy Robinson was acquitted on Tuesday of violating British counterterrorism laws by declining to provide authorities with his phone’s passcode during a border stop in July 2024.
Robinson, 42, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a prominent anti-immigration activist in Britain and a key figure for certain British nationalists. He was stopped by police in July 2024 while passing through border security at the Channel Tunnel train terminal in southeast England.
During a trial held last month at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court, prosecutors claimed that an officer found Robinson’s behavior suspicious, noting his possession of a high-value vehicle—a friend’s silver Bentley—and his last-minute ticket purchase for a trip to Benidorm, Spain.
The officer and colleagues confiscated Robinson’s phone and requested the passcode to unlock it. Robinson, identifying himself as a journalist with sensitive material on the device, refused to comply.
Upon delivering the verdict on Tuesday, Judge Sam Goozee suggested that Robinson was detained due to his political views, deeming the decision to stop him as unlawful.
Following the court decision, Robinson expressed gratitude towards billionaire Elon Musk, whom he credited for financially supporting his legal defense. Musk frequently shares Robinson’s content and made a virtual appearance at a recent London rally organized by Robinson, attended by approximately 150,000 individuals.
Robinson has asserted that he was singled out by authorities for exposing misconduct, while critics label him a far-right instigator with a history of criminal convictions. Robinson welcomed the judge’s ruling, asserting that he was targeted for his political stance and journalistic activities by government counterterrorism units.
