Far-right figure Tommy Robinson was acquitted on Tuesday of breaching British counterterrorism laws by refusing to disclose his phone’s passcode during a border stop in July 2024. Robinson, also known as Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a prominent anti-immigration advocate in the UK. Authorities stopped him at the Channel Tunnel train terminal in southeast England last July.
During the trial, prosecutors at London’s Westminster Magistrates’ Court highlighted that an officer found Robinson’s behavior suspicious, especially as he was driving a high-value vehicle (a friend’s silver Bentley) and heading to Benidorm, Spain, with a ticket purchased on the same day.
When asked to provide his phone’s passcode, Robinson, claiming to be a journalist with confidential data on his device, declined. Judge Sam Goozee ruled on Tuesday that Robinson was unlawfully detained due to his political stance.
Following the verdict, Robinson expressed gratitude to billionaire Elon Musk for supporting his legal defense. Musk, known for endorsing Robinson’s content, participated remotely in a recent London rally organized by Robinson, drawing a crowd of around 150,000 attendees.
Robinson maintains that he was unfairly targeted for uncovering governmental misconduct, while critics label him a far-right instigator with a history of criminal convictions. He emphasized the significance of the court ruling in acknowledging the political nature of his targeting by the authorities under the guise of counterterrorism efforts.