British police have stopped far-right activist Tommy Robinson and seized his phones as he returned from a trip to Russia. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, met Elon Musk’s father in Moscow during his visit.
Stop at Heathrow
The Metropolitan Police stopped Robinson after he disembarked a flight from Russia via Turkey at Heathrow Airport on Saturday evening. His phones were seized under Schedule 3 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, which allows police to detain individuals suspected of engaging in hostile activity on behalf of a foreign state.
A police spokesperson said: “Officers stopped a man in his 40s at Heathrow airport at around 17.00 on Saturday 13 June, following his return to the UK from Russia via Turkey. He was stopped under the provisions of Schedule 3 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. The man was interviewed by officers and his communication devices were seized. He was subsequently released.”
Russia as a Hostile State
Russia is regarded by the UK and most Western powers as a hostile state, with defence officials fearing that Vladimir Putin’s regime may stage an attack as early as 2030. While in Russia, social media accounts linked to Robinson called for protests after a knife attack in Belfast.
Robinson, 43, is described by monitoring group Hope Not Hate as the “best-known far-right extremist in Britain.” During his Moscow trip, he told the Guardian: “I’ve come to see how this country got itself so well on to the straight and narrow and see the beauty of a civilised society here.” He added: “Russia is not the enemy of Britain. That narrative has long since died a natural death.”
Concerns Over Influence
The Royal United Services Institute, a London-based thinktank, warned: “Russia is one of the most prolific actors when it comes to conducting hybrid campaigns to influence the politics of other countries, including the UK. These campaigns blend online influence, cyber-attacks and other measures to try to cause offline effects – and events such as the Belfast attack certainly have the kind of incendiary potential that Moscow may seek to harness.”
Robinson portrayed himself as a victim of state persecution on social media, saying he was held for about three hours and had two phones seized. He asked supporters for donations to cover legal costs. Previous rallies led by Robinson attracted 150,000 people in London last September and 60,000 in May this year.
