UK anti-Islam activist ‘Tommy Robinson' charged with harassment of two men
LONDON: Prominent British anti-Islam activist Stephen Yaxley-Lennon has been charged with harassment causing fear of violence to two men around the time of the nationwide riots last year, prosecutors said on Wednesday.
'We have authorized the Metropolitan Police to charge Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, 42, with harassment causing fear of violence against two men,' a Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) spokesperson said in a statement.
Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, is currently in prison over a separate contempt of court issue but is due to be released next week after winning a bid on Tuesday to trim the 18-month sentence.
The CPS said the alleged offenses were committed between August 5 and 7 last year — when riots broke out at anti-immigration protests in towns and cities across Britain following the murder of three young girls in Southport, northwest England.
Yaxley-Lennon, who describes himself as a journalist who exposes state wrongdoing and counts US billionaire Elon Musk among his supporters, was accused by some media and politicians of inflaming tensions at the time of the riots.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Trump vs Musk feud explodes; Israel bombs southern Beirut on eve of Eid
In this episode of W News, presented by Leigh-Ann Gerrans, sparks fly as Donald Trump and Elon Musk's once-powerful alliance disintegrates in a public war of words. We hear from Errol Musk in an exclusive interview and dive into the political fallout with Republican strategist Adolfo Franco and journalist Freddy Gray. As Trump accuses Musk of "ingratitude" and Musk fires back with explosive claims, we unpack the implications for the Republican Party, US markets, and SpaceX's future. Meanwhile, correspondent Carina Kamel tracks the financial shockwaves from London. In our second story, we go to the Middle East, where Israel strikes southern Beirut on the eve of Eid, targeting what it calls a Hezbollah drone facility. Trent Murray joins us live from Tel Aviv, while former US envoy Ellie Cohanim weighs in on the Gaza humanitarian crisis and Netanyahu's latest political moves. And finally, the long-running Madeleine McCann investigation reaches a dramatic close, with reporting from Nick Pisa in Praia da Luz. Guests: Adolfo Franco – Republican Strategist Carina Kamel – Correspondent in London Trent Murray – Correspondent in Tel Aviv Nick Pisa – Senior Global Reporter, MailOnline
Arab News
3 hours ago
- Arab News
Trump has no plans to call Musk, White House says after feud
WASHINGTON: The White House squashed speculation that Donald Trump and Elon Musk would patch up their stunning public feud, saying the US president had no plans to call his billionaire former aide Friday. Trump lobbed fresh insults at the South African-born Musk a day after the fiery implosion of their unlikely political marriage, saying the tech tycoon had 'lost his mind.' In a telling symbol of how their relationship had deteriorated, the president was even considering selling or giving away a Tesla he had bought to show support for Musk amid protests against the company. The row exploded on Thursday when Trump said he was 'very disappointed' by Musk and threatened to end his government contracts, after his ex-aide criticized the president's flagship budget bill as an 'abomination.' Reports had emerged that Musk and Trump would speak by phone on Friday in a bid to patch up the damaging public row, but the White House scotched such speculation. 'The president does not intend to speak to Musk today,' a senior White House official told AFP on condition of anonymity when asked if the feuding pair planned to speak. Trump told broadcaster ABC in a phone call earlier Friday that he was 'not particularly interested' in talking to Musk. 'You mean the man who has lost his mind?' ABC quoted Trump as saying. Trump, who once called Musk a 'genius,' branded him 'crazy' on social media on Thursday. The row could have major political and economic fallout, as shares in Musk's Tesla car company seesaw and the SpaceX boss vowed that he would end a critical US spaceship program. The White House called a special meeting on Thursday to discuss how to handle the crisis with Musk, a government source told AFP on condition of anonymity. Trump meanwhile may ditch the red Tesla that he bought from Musk's firm at the height of their relationship. The electric vehicle was still parked on the White House grounds on Friday. 'He's thinking about it, yes,' the senior White House official told AFP when asked if Trump would sell or give away the Tesla. Trump and Musk had posed inside the car at a bizarre event in March, when the US president turned the White House into a pop-up Tesla showroom after protests against Musk's government role tanked the firm shares. Speculation had long swirled that a relationship between two big egos like the president and the tycoon could not last long — but the speed of the meltdown took Washington by surprise. Trump said in a televised Oval Office diatribe on Thursday that he was 'very disappointed' after his former top donor criticized his 'big, beautiful' spending bill before Congress. The pair then hurled insults at each other on social media — with Musk even posting, without proof, that Trump was referenced in government documents on disgraced financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Al Arabiya
5 hours ago
- Al Arabiya
Musk ‘very welcome' in Europe after Trump bust-up: Official
Elon Musk is 'very welcome' in Europe, a spokesperson for the European Commission quipped Friday, following the tech billionaire's spectacular public falling-out with US President Donald Trump. The Trump-Musk political marriage blew up on Thursday as the president declared himself 'very disappointed' in criticisms from his former aide and top donor -- before the pair hurled insults at each other on social media. At the commission's daily briefing, spokesperson Paula Pinho was asked whether Musk had reached out to the European Union with a view to relocating his businesses, or setting up new ones. 'He's very welcome,' she replied with a smile. The commission's spokesperson for tech matters, Thomas Regnier, followed up by stressing -- straight-faced -- that 'everyone is very welcome indeed to start and to scale in the EU.' 'That is precisely the objective of Choose Europe,' he said, referencing an EU initiative in favor of start-ups and expanding businesses. Musk has been a frequent critic of the 27-nation EU -- attacking its digital laws as censorship and berating its leaders, while cheering on the ascendant far-right in Germany and elsewhere. The tycoon's row with Trump saw the president threaten to strip him of government contracts estimated at $18 billion -- with Musk vowing in response to end a critical US spaceship program. Explaining the rift, Trump said Musk had gone 'crazy' about a plan to end electric vehicle subsidies in the new US spending bill -- as the bust-up sent shares in Musk's Tesla car company plunging.
