UK anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson says he was detained under terrorism laws

British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, stated he was detained at Heathrow Airport on Saturday evening. He reported being held for approximately three hours under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act and that his phone was seized by police. Robinson made these statements on social media, following a week where he had posted extensively online about riots in Northern Ireland described as racist and anti-immigrant. He also appealed for donations to his legal defense fund.

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was detained at Heathrow airport on Saturday under counter-terrorism laws. Police seized his phones under section 3 of the Counter-Terrorism Border Security Act 2019. Robinson claimed he was detained for nearly three hours and his spokesperson stated the action was an attack on free speech and investigative journalism. The 2019 act allows police to detain individuals suspected of planning or preparing hostile acts. The Metropolitan police declined to comment on the specific reason for Robinson's detention. Robinson had recently gained prominence amid racial tensions and following protests in Southampton, and had amplified footage of an incident in Belfast. He was previously cleared of a terror charge in July 2024 after refusing to grant police access to his phone.