Elon Musk calls for the release of far-right activist Robinson

U.S. businessman Elon Musk, owner of the electric vehicle company Tesla and the X platform, formerly known as "Twitter," called for the release of imprisoned far-right activist Tommy Robinson in the UK in a post on social media. Musk stated, "Why is Tommy Robinson in solitary confinement for telling the truth? He should be released and those who covered up this disgrace should be in that cell instead."

Musk also reiterated his criticisms of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Musk accused Keir Starmer of not paying enough attention to the investigation of child abuse gangs during his time as head of the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Musk said, "In the UK, serious crimes like rape require the approval of the Crown Prosecution Service for the police to charge suspects. Who was the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to abuse young girls without being brought to justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013."

WHAT HAPPENED?

In 2018, Robinson had claimed that Jamal Hijazi, a Syrian refugee who was attacked and bullied at school, had "attacked female students." Following this, Hijazi's family took Robinson to court. Robinson was ordered to pay 100,000 pounds in damages.

In 2021, the High Court issued an injunction against Robinson, ordering him not to repeat his libels against the Syrian refugee. After admitting that he had violated court orders by repeating the libels against Hijazi, Robinson was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October 2024. Lawyers for the Syrian student, who filed the libel suit against Robinson and won, stated that the activist's baseless claims caused "devastating" harm to the child's family and forced the family to move elsewhere.

ANTI-ISLAMIC

Tommy Robinson, whose real name is "Stephen Yaxley-Lennon," is known as one of the leading figures of the far-right in the UK. Robinson, who has been imprisoned before, has been involved in many far-right parties in the country. Known for the large-scale far-right demonstrations he organized in London, Robinson is a former member of the British National Party (BNP) and the founder of the anti-Islamic English Defence League (EDL).