British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson was detained at Heathrow Airport on Saturday and had his phone seized, following a week of heavy online posting about racist and anti-immigrant riots in Northern Ireland.
Detention Details
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, stated on X that he was held on Saturday evening for approximately three hours under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act. He wrote, "My phone has been seized by the police. Please help kick off my legal fund for defense."
Background of Violence
Last week, Robinson repeatedly tweeted about violence in Belfast that erupted after a video went viral showing a brutal stabbing of a man, who lost an eye in the attack. A Sudanese man has been charged with attempted murder. Police have clarified that they are not treating the attack as terrorism.
In the subsequent days, rioters targeted homes and businesses owned by ethnic minorities or foreign residents. The British minister for the province described the actions as "racist thuggery." Local politicians have alleged that far-right agitators online helped coordinate or promote the violence.
Police Statement
Without naming Robinson, a police spokesman confirmed that officers stopped a man in his 40s at Heathrow Airport on Saturday after his return to Britain from Russia via Turkey. "The man was interviewed by officers and his communication devices were seized. He was subsequently released," the spokesman said.
