Right-wing activist Tommy Robinson could be arrested before thousands of his supporters take to the streets of London for a protest on Saturday.
Police are preparing for potential unrest as experts predict the demonstration will have an “angry mood” over the handling of this summer’s riots, with large numbers of football hooligans expected to descend on the capital.
The march to Whitehall under the banner ‘Uniting the Kingdom’ will be met with a counter protest from Stop the War campaigners.
The Metropolitan Police and British Transport Police have drafted in support from other forces across the country as the Met said there will be a “significant police presence” to ensure the two groups are kept apart.
However, Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, may be arrested and detained before the demo as he faces potential jail time for alleged contempt of court.
The 41-year-old is due to appear at Woolwich Crown Court on Monday over claims he has repeated libellous allegations against a Syrian refugee who successfully sued him.
Separately, he posted a video on X to say he was going to attend Folkestone police station at 3pm on Friday where he fears he may be arrested.
This follows his arrest at a port in Kent in July where he was accused of “frustration” of police counter-terrorism powers for refusing to allow officers to access his phone.
Regardless of whether he is arrested, anti-fascist campaign group Hope Not Hate (HNH) fears Saturday’s march will be “angrier” than his previous demonstrations, with families of those who were jailed for rioting this summer invited to join him.
An estimated 20-30,000 people joined his last event in July, according to HNH. It is understood the airing of a film, titled Silenced, at the summer demonstration in Trafalgar Square is one of six actions claimed to have breached a 2021 High Court injunction barring him from repeating false allegations against the refugee.
HNH’s CEO Nick Lowles said: “I think it’s going to be a lot angrier protest than the last one. The last time he showed the Silenced film which was about what he would call a miscarriage of justice…whereas this one is very much aimed at the prime minister, the police and this kind of ‘injustice’ around the riots. It’s much fresher and I expect it to be quite an angry mood.
“My understanding is the police are quite worried about the public order element. There will be a sizeable number of current of former football hooligans and the chatter in football groups is that there will be quite big numbers.”
Mr Lowles said being reinstated on X/Twitter last November has “catapulted” Robinson to a larger audience, as his followers have rapidly topped 1 million, while his rhetoric has become more hardline.
Deputy Assistant Commissioner Rachel Williams, who is leading the policing operation, said: “We are well prepared for what is set to be a busy day in the centre of London.
“Our role is to ensure that those attending the various events can do so safely and that they can exercise their right to lawful protest.
“We will have significant resources in place to respond to any incidents, to deal decisively with any offences, and to keep disruption to other members of the public and businesses to a minimum.
“We know that when groups with opposing views come together it can lead to conflict and disorder, and a key part of our role is ensuring that does not happen.
“We have used Public Order Act conditions to ensure that those involved stick to routes and assembly areas that are sufficiently far apart. Officers will be monitoring closely to ensure that conditions are adhered to.”
Robinson, who founded the now-defunct English Defence League, faces a potential jail term in a two-day court hearing starting on Monday in relation to the alleged contempt of court.
He was released on unconditional bail in July and subsequently left the country, with Adam Payter, representing the Solicitor General, telling the High Court that there “was nothing to prevent him from doing so”.
Mr Justice Johnson issued a warrant for Robinson’s arrest but ordered that it not be carried out “until early October” to allow Robinson time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily or to apply to “set aside” the warrant.
Robinson posted a video of himself arriving at Luton Airport on October 20 and said he was surprised he had not been arrested.
The activist has applied to set aside the warrant and a ruling has not yet been made on the application.
Under the 2021 court order, Robinson was barred from repeating allegations he made against Syrian refugee Jamal Hijazi.
Mr Hijazi successfully sued Robinson after the then-schoolboy was assaulted at Almondbury Community School in Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, in October 2018.
Mr Justice Nicklin ordered Robinson to pay Mr Hijazi £100,000 in damages and his legal costs, as well as making the injunction preventing Robinson from repeating the allegations he made against the then-teenager.
