British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson said he was detained by police at Heathrow Airport on Saturday, 13 June and had his mobile phone seized, days after posting extensively online about racist and anti-immigrant unrest in Northern Ireland.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, said he was held for around three hours after arriving in Britain from Russia via Türkiye.
In a post on X, he said he had been stopped under the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act.
"My phone has been seized by the police," Robinson wrote. "Please help kick off my legal fund for defence."
Without naming Robinson, a Metropolitan Police spokesperson confirmed that officers had stopped a man in his 40s at Heathrow Airport on Saturday.
"The man was interviewed by officers and his communication devices were seized. He was subsequently released," the spokesperson said.
Police did not provide further details about the reason for the stop.
The detention came after a week of disorder in Belfast and other parts of Northern Ireland.
The unrest followed the circulation of a video showing a violent attack in which a man lost an eye. A Sudanese man has since been charged with attempted murder. Police have said they are not treating the incident as terrorism.
In the days that followed, groups of rioters targeted homes and businesses linked to ethnic minority communities and foreign residents.
The British government condemned the violence, with Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn describing the scenes as "racist thuggery".
Several local politicians accused far-right figures and online agitators of helping to spread or encourage the disorder through social media posts.
Robinson is one of Britain's most prominent far-right activists and has built a large online following through campaigns focused on immigration and Islam.
He has repeatedly attracted controversy over his public statements and activism and has faced a number of legal challenges over the years.
His detention at Heathrow is likely to attract further attention given his high profile and his recent comments about the violence in Northern Ireland.
It remains unclear whether any further action will be taken following the seizure of his phone and other communication devices.
Türkiye has banned children under 15 from using social media under new regulations published on Saturday. ...
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President ...
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 ...
Leaders of countries from the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) have agreed to hold coordinated population censuses around 2030. They took the decision at the CIS Council of Heads of State meeting in Awaza, Turkmenistan on Friday, media reported.
Britain and Israel have reached a temporary compromise over the future of the British Consulate General in East Jerusalem, easing a diplomatic dispute that had threatened to further strain relations between the two countries.
The Nobel Peace Prize 2026 will be announced on Friday, 9 October, bringing one of the world's most closely watched awards back into focus.
South African judge Navanethem “Navi” Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday “for her efforts to promote peace and international law,” the Norwegian Nobel Committee said.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed surprise after Donald Trump mediated the Armenia-Azerbaijan peace agreement in 2025, the U.S. President said at a rally in New York state on Friday.
The United Nations has condemned a sharp rise in attacks on civilians in Ukraine, reporting that more than 100 people were killed and at least 429 injured in a single week as Russian strikes hit residential areas, passenger buses and critical infrastructure.
Air quality in Singapore plunged to “very unhealthy” levels on Friday, 9 October, as thick haze engulfed the city-state ahead of Sunday's Formula One Grand Prix, while Max Verstappen claimed pole position for Saturday's Sprint race.
Ukrainian drone strikes have hit two Yandex data centres in Russia on consecutive days, disrupting digital services as Kyiv intensifies attacks on Russia's digital infrastructure.
The U.S. has imposed sanctions on the International Criminal Court (ICC) on Friday (9 October) escalating tensions with European allies and potentially targeting companies that provide services to the tribunal. The move came hours after former ICC judge Navi Pillay won the Nobel Peace Prize.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment