In this week’s Spectator, I’ve wrestled with the question of whether the Metropolitan Police should have arrested Tommy Robinson at Sunday’s March Against Antisemitism. Here’s an extract:
My gut says it was an abuse of police powers. Section 35 of the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 empowers the police to order someone to leave an area if they have reasonable grounds to suspect that the behaviour of the person has contributed to, or is likely to contribute to, people in the locality feeling harassed, alarmed or distressed. The organisers of Sunday’s march – the Campaign Against Antisemitism – had made it clear in advance that Robinson wasn’t welcome, so it’s safe to assume that they at any rate felt alarmed when he showed up. The police say they only arrested him after he repeatedly refused to go quietly, and failing to comply with a s.35 dispersal request is an offence.
But do the organisers of a public protest have a right to stipulate in advance who cannot attend and expect the police to remove them if they do? Section 36 of the same Act says that when deciding whether to issue such a directive, the police must have ‘particular regard to the rights of freedom of expression and freedom of assembly’ as set out in Articles 10 and 11 of the European Convention on Human Rights. What if the organisers had said they didn’t want the journalist Yasmin Alibhai-Brown there because she once described Israel as ‘more wicked and dangerous than Hamas’? I doubt the police would have arrested her. Indeed, the heavy-handed treatment of Robinson, who’s a supporter of Israel, in contrast to the lenience shown by the Met towards those on the other side, gives an impression of double standards.
To add to the case for the defence, Robinson maintains he was there in his capacity as a journalist for a news publishing site called Urban Scoop and was carrying out a paid assignment. Section 36 says a constable may not give a direction under s.35 if the person is ‘required to attend for the purposes of the person’s employment, or a contract of services to which the person is a party’.
I go on to make the case for the prosecution, but conclude the Met should have shown him the same latitude they extend to the more outspoken pro-Palestinian protestors. The police’s heavy handed treatment of Robinson, while turning a blind eye to extremists much more likely to cause harassment, alarm and distress every Saturday in London, contributes to the impression of double standards.
Worth reading in full.
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There are 2 standards of law for ppl on the right and on the left, or more accurately ppl complying with deep state and those not. This can be traced right back to the Nixon impeachment over a total nothing burger we know as Watergate. A populist president was decapitated over palpable nonsense probably engineered by the CIA as punishment for the china policy and leaving Vietnam. Ask yourself why every single White House incumbent hasn’t been removed since when nearly all committed far worse crimes.
And my gut tells me that the law used should be repealed, however well intentioned it may have been
Blimey tof. The suggestion that any laws passed in the last ten years have been passed on behalf of ‘safety’ is a bit of a stretch.
Yes perhaps I was being too charitable
Perhaps someone involved at a lower level thought it would be helpful and not be abused
How about repealling all laws passed since Blair became PM?
In the unlikely event that any turned out to seem to have been beneficial they could be properly debated and then re-instated.
Yup that’s a good starting point
Wherever Tommy Robinson goes his knuckle dragging supporters follow looking for any excuse for a punch up.
Removing Robinson from the scene was the right course of action to avoid any potential violence other than the pepper spraying to Yaxley himself for resisting arrest.
He pretends to be a journalist for Urban Scoop where he is a silent partner and controls it behind the scenes.
Any donations to Urban Scoop goes into the pocket of Tommy Robinson himself.
It was created just to give himself a platform.
He is not a real journalist.
Tommy Robinson also accepts money from the IDF and Israel to promote his Islamaphobia.
Apart from his staunch support for the murderous Israeli regime and his disdain for the vast majority of peace loving Muslims I quite like his courage against the Covid nonsense and other issues.
Head half empty shld be your name.
His 13 yr old cousin was gang raped by Muzzies.
The plod which you love did nothing.
Robinson did and does. Unlike yourself and most others.
Yes, he’s a hero to many racists.
Have a downtick from me. I very rarely downtick but you are special.
Touche.
Same for me.
It is not racism to dislike a religious ideology that has caused adherents rape of our girls and murder our people. Read the history of Islam and be worried
Why don’t read the Talmud while you’re at it.
When has Iraq, Iran, Yemen, Palestine, Somalia and the rest EVER attacked the UK? NEVER. Yet the UK has been involved on 83 wars since WWII at a cost of £1,870/year to every taxpayer (since 2001) and at the cost of 6M lives. These are our ‘values’. Don’t forget that next time you give yourself a pat on the back.
I have read Tommy Robinson’s book on Islam and it is repetitive nonsense.
Tommy has been to jail for his beliefs. Have you?
People like Tommy and his knuckle daggers will save this country from Islamic takeover one day. It is the working class boys who usually do all the fighting. History shows that clearly.
Islamic dominance will not, sadly, be defeated by strong letters to your MP and silent protests. History also shows that to be true. Unfortunately
I have been watching Luton Town F.C. ever since 1967 and the Town and Tommy Robinson are well known to us.
That is why he is banned from the ground and the fans asked not to sing his name which they haven’t done for years.
I’ve seen him at some away games and also seen him when we are lucky enough to play at Wembley.
One match at Oxford City he was sitting next to his friend who was black so I know he is not racist against ALL people of colour, just Muslims.
The vast majority of the 2 billion Muslims in the world are peace loving.
His book on Islam was repetitive and the same case could be made with the Bible and other religious books.
I’ve read some of his other books and I agree, if they are true, he has been hard done by by the authorities.
However, he brings division wherever he goes and his banning from certain areas is for public safety.
It was Tommy Robinson who helped organise the “football lads” defence of the Cenotaph which was totally unnecessary and, as per usual, ended in violence.
I used to think that Tommy Robinson was a thug and should be locked up. Once I woke up to the world we truly live in, I realised that was just how the media portrayed him. I had fallen for the propaganda put out by the media. I wonder if many others (including some of the police) have also fallen into that trap..
I cannot see what crime Tommy Robinson was supposed to have committed. Who was the victim? Should the police be safeguarding the rights of Tommy Robinson as well as any other member of the public that they are there to serve? Could it be that Tommy Robinson is just too well know a figure that the police can easily make an example of?
Many laws/dictats now being passed are nothing to do with ‘public safety’ and more to do with control.
I have followed Tommy Robinson on and off for a good few years. He has mellowed / learned and now behaves well within the so-called legal parameters. Much of what he says and reports is spot on – grooming gangs? Yes he got that in to the public consciousness and much of what he has had to say about islamist take overs is slowly seeping in to our society. Let us not forget the insidious creep of sharia courts as but one example. Plod of course do a Nelson on these little japes.
Tommy Robinson has as much right to his views as the next man and as a pure born English man more than some others.
As have I. Those who haven’t I recommend listening to his 2 podcasts with James English. They’re a couple of years apart and you can see the change.
It’s telling that Iain Dale on LBC has said he won’t have him on as he won’t give him publicity and how ELOQUENT he is! Not that what he’s says is wrong… Dale has producers who could be “fact checking” what he says to show what’s wrong IF they’re so convinced what he’s saying is wrong…
JHB on Talk TV won’t invite him on despite calling him ‘far right’ etc. Same goes with GBN. Laurance Fox tried but management were scared of being seen as ‘racist’…Pathetic!
I only know him by reputation tbh. There’s a few questioned his legitimacy but I haven’t really done any digging, if I’m honest. I reckon now he’s a family man he’s chilled out a bit too, as having kids certainly should make one more responsible. He’s got balls though and I respect anyone who has the courage of their convictions. It also makes him a great role model for his kids. He’s just gone and highlighted further the corruption that is the disgraceful UK police force, so that’s very handy. That vid of him being arrested and surrounded by a large herd of pigs went viral all over everyone’s Twitter pages and beyond.
Too many people have fallen for the ‘Far right’ and ‘nazi’ tropes but whenever I have listened to him speaking he basically says what we are all thinking. The problem is that the thoughts of the average man or woman in the UK are deemed to be far right and so too few are brave enough to give voice to these thoughts.
In many ways Tommy Robinson is just that – a British Tommy.
Remember when that Labour MP was slagging him off, later had his surgery in the local library when Tommy turned up. He was hiding with two coppers outside. An old guy turned up and Police told him not to talk to Tommy….He said I voted Brexit and like Tommy, I will talk to who I like!
You have described the longstanding establishment psy-op well – make people feel guilty or ashamed about their beliefs, then they will be less likely to share or voice them. It helps them control the political agenda.
Thank you.
“ Far Right” is a phrase that tells me ds about the target of that epithet unlike the users …. whom I conclude are Ultra Far Left Woke by malelovent conviction …. imho of course …
I do appreciate your explanation. Very informative.
The last time he was much in the news was when he was filming and trying to get a response from members of a child gang rape crew, adherents of the Religion of Peace.
The latter had all been tried and found guilty. They were attending court for sentencing after being on bail. Naturally.
Tommy was immediately arrested, bundled into court (for well deserved “contempt”), found guilty and packed off to prison. Between having his collar felt and sitting in a cell took a total of 5 hours.
I can’t remember which prison it was, but I remember they found him a nice cell on a prison wing normally reserved for the most violent criminal adherents of the Religion of Peace.
British Justice at its most impressive.
Did you see Pano-Drama where he exposed the BBC Flagship Panorama with John Sweeney. They tried to stitch him up and it backfired spectacularly.
I haven’t seen that Ron but then I haven’t watched el Beeb for years.
Because it backfired it never made it to the BBC, It may still be on YT.
Thanks.
Notwithstanding the arrest which was vicious in its manner what legitimate reason can be given for pepper spraying Tommy Robinson not just in the face but in the eyes? Having seen the videos there is no evidence of Tommy Robinson kicking off in any way.
When the mood or instructions suit the police are more than capable of policing in a manner redolent of the barbarians they are nominally due to be controlling but for some reason their thuggery is exercised only against decent, law-abiding, white British citizens. Nowadays these people are better known as the ‘Far Right.’
Clearly decent, law-abiding, white British citizens, whoops – the Far Right – must accept that the police are now the enemy and they have to be treated accordingly.
How ironic would it be if there is footage of any of those MetPlods, who arrested Robinson, “taking the knee”, enabling XR/JSO to prevent people going about their lawful business or having their faces painted …… wishful thinking…. maybe .
Good point.
Fair play to Toby Young for addressing this issue so publicly.
Hoping beyond hope this is yet more Hamas BS/psychological warfare. I mean, they are pathological, hate-filled, malicious liars anyway so why would they suddenly start telling the truth? It’s become like ‘the boy who cried wolf’ now hasn’t it? Of course, putting blame on the IDF will be in there somewhere…Can’t have the evil terrorists’ image being tarnished with the useful idiots who support them and view them as liberators now can we?
”Hamas announced the death of the youngest hostage Kfir Bibas (10 months old). The mom, brother, and dad are dead too.
Hamas has said they had no ability to track because it was so bloody and chaotic. Because they were high on Captagon and high on religion.
It’s worse, they kidnapped these people, tortured them, and then murdered them…AFTER the massacre.
How people can support a group that has murdered and abducted civilian men, women, children, raped and tortured babies in cold blood is absolutely beyond human.”
https://twitter.com/ImtiazMadmood/status/1730161338192683518
I should imagine quite a lot is beyond you. Those marching for a ceasefire in Gaza do not support Hamas (2 out of 800,000 did and they were arrested), neither to Gazans most of whom weren’t born at the time of the 2006 elections. Hamas did not ‘torture’ babies – that’s just another IDF trope. During the jab rollout, I looked at the numbers of those who died from the jab (Netanyahu famously referred to it as an experiment on the Israeli people) and you can still access their version of reports of death. One baby died on October 7th as a direct result of Hamas’ actions. This is one baby too many, but the IDF has made their point. They will never find Hamas as the tunnels extend to Egypt and Jordan. They may however play with Gaza long enough to rid the land of its occupants (Israel is good at that) and steal the gas and oil. None of which will lead to greater peace for Israel which the US doesn’t want as that equates to a large hole in their arms sales.
Well, why did the Campaign Against Antisemitism aka the Anti-German Campaign For Whatever Policy The Government of Israel Wants to Execute Today aka the Campaign For Mandatory Reapting-Covaxxing Of Each And Everyone At Least Thrice Per Year make such a stupid statement to begin with? For as long as Robinson doesn’t break any laws, he’s just as good as any other guy and what people believe to be tugged away in his mind for whatever reasons doesn’t matter here in the slightest.
Shane McGowan has died aged 65. A wonderful talent. A sad loss.
AW’s on-the-money – for my money – take.
https://rumble.com/v3ycf24-the-staged-arrest-of-tommy-robinson.html?mref=6zof&mc=dgip3&utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=alistairwilliams&ep=2
When something like this gets so much media attention, as do JSO & Climate activist activites do, you know or should at least suspect that such events are staged for the very purpose that you, the unsuspecting British public should see them. They are designed to nudge & send a message.
‘..And all the men and women merely players; They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts,.. : Shakespear
“The organisers of Sunday’s march – the Campaign Against Antisemitism – had made it clear in advance that Robinson wasn’t welcome …”
Umm, I’d like to hear more about this. Is it an actual fact that The Campaign against Anti-Semitism made it publicly and privately clear TR was not welcome? Or were they simply saying they’d rather he didn’t because they thought (like Toby Young thought – see current Weekly Sceptic podcast) that the usual media suspects would talk about TR instead of talking about the march?
Secondly is it really ” … safe to assume that they at any rate felt alarmed when he showed up.”
Are people so wet these days they actually feel alarmed by TR showing up to a march with 100,000 like-minded souls around them and the best protection the PC Police have to offer them? Unlikely I would have thought!
There is also the rather obvious fact that his turning up in support of Jews would be unlikely to lead to his being violent against the organisers with the same aim. So if they had fears, it would be that counter demonstrators would get in a bundle, which would make them at least as culpable as Robinson … had there been any counter-demonstrators there.
I confess that, several years ago when I believed some of what was in the news, I assumed that I was ignorant of Robinson’s views because, being extreme (him being far-right and all), they were completely and justly silenced.
Once I started to ask what his views actually were, and why I didn’t actually know, my enquiries fed into the realisation that the problem was what we now call malinformation – he was speaking truth embarrassing to power. Perhaps it was a tactical error on the State’s part to imprison him with Julian Assange and demonstrate the similarities between the cases.
Funny that he is mates with Stacy Dooley because they are both from Luton, she is a BBC presenter. She must keep that quiet.
They’ve been told by the mainstream Marxist media to believe this. And many steeple do. Witness many people’s behaviour under the covid dictatorship. Wake up Britons or your country will be taken from you
Tousi highlighted FSU application by Tommy in which Ian Ron’s turned him down but then went online to slag Tommy off & finished off by saying “ listen to him Bleat “ Needs explaining don’t you think ???
“….. impression of evidence of double standards” – forgive me if I use my eyes and ears to conclude self evident double standards have been / are being being applied by MetPlod – and that march was just one occasion since Oct 7th when this reality has played out …
Double standards? In the Police?
Shurely shome mishtake…
Well you shouldn’t have made clear to the police or the media or anyone else that Tommy Robinson wasn’t welcome then should you? He then causes an affray as he’s desperate to be in the news at all times and then the police have the right to arrest him. As for ‘those on the other side’ – this is part of the problem. You, Robinson, Hopkins, Pearson, Oakenshott, Murray and all the rest, fan the flame of division. There are indeed two sides. Those who believe in humanity and everybody else. Make no mistake, if this was WWII I’d be out on the streets marching in protest against what the Nazis did to Jewish people, same as I marched against the wars in Iraq, Yemen, lockdowns, mandatory jabs for carehome workers, jabs for kids and now the disproportionate attacks on the civillians of Gaza – who by the way are also Semites. So while those on Saturday marched against Semites being buried under the rubble of their homes, those on Sunday marched against Semites being insulted (this accounts for 88.7% of the anti-Semitic reports), which is far outstripped by Islamophobia. Maybe get a bit of perspective.
It was a deliberate show ( made sure all the cameras were present ) deliberate heavy Handed ( takes dozens & dozens of cops for one man! ) it was all engineered for the media & public