Tommy Robinson arrested at march against antisemitism in London

 

Tommy Robinson arrested at march against antisemitism in London

 

Far-right leader who was told to stay away from event is detained after refusing to comply with police order to disperse

 

Vikram Dodd Police and crime correspondent

Sun 26 Nov 2023 15.55 GMT

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2023/nov/26/tommy-robinson-arrested-march-antisemitism-london

 

The far-right leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has been arrested by police at a march in London against antisemitism after ignoring pleas from organisers to stay away.

 

Yaxley-Lennon, 40, better known as Tommy Robinson, was detained on Sunday after officers told him to leave the area.

 

His arrest came during a march against the increase in antisemitism faced by Jewish people in Britain since the Middle East was plunged into crisis after the attackin southern Israel by Hamas on 7 October.

 

Organisers said up to 60,000 people attended the march in central London making it the biggest stand against antisemitism since 1936, when protesters confronted Oswald Mosley’s blackshirts at Cable Street in east London.

 

Footage on X shows Yaxley-Lennon being asked to leave by police while he was in a cafe, where he said he had ordered breakfast. The far-right leader refused and claimed he was attending the protest as a journalist.

 

Later footage shows him being led away by officers.

 

The Campaign Against Antisemitism had denounced Yaxley-Lennon – whose supporters were among those causing violence and clashing with police on 11 November. They claimed to be protecting the Cenotaph from a huge pro-Palestinian march held on Armistice Day – which went nowhere near the war monument.

 

In a statement the Met, asked about Yaxley-Lennon’s arrest, said: “At around 13.30 on Saturday 26 November, officers working as part of the policing and security operation for the March Against Antisemitism arrested a 40-year-old man on the Strand.

 

“He had refused to comply with a direction to disperse under section 35 of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act.

 

“We have been in frequent contact with the organisers of the march in recent days. They have been clear about their concerns that the man’s attendance, and that of those who were likely to accompany him, would cause fear for other participants. The same view has been voiced by others.

 

“As a result, he was spoken to and warned on more than one occasion that his continued presence in the area was likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress to others. He was directed to leave the area but refused to do so.

 

“We’re aware that the man had suggested he was in the area as a journalist. This was not a relevant factor in his arrest.”

 

Pro-Palestinian groups have held five large marches through central London, which some Jewish people have said left them fearful of going to the area.

 

Gideon Falter, chief executive of Campaign Against Antisemitism, said: “Week after week, central London has become a no-go zone for Jews.

 

“The sad truth is that Jews do not feel safe in our capital city.

 

“This is why today’s march, drawing tens of thousands in the largest gathering against antisemitism since the Battle of Cable Street a lifetime ago in 1936, was so important.

 

“The voice of decency has been heard today, and it is a voice that demands action. British Jews do not believe that the police treat antisemitic hate crime like other forms of hate crime. It is past time that the police prove them wrong.”