British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has drawn fresh attention online after he posted on X "Free Balochistan". The post, shared with his more than one million followers on X (formerly Twitter), is the latest in a series of controversial statements from the 42-year-old figure known for his inflammatory views, legal troubles, and vocal presence on social media.
Tensions are running high in Balochistan following a violent crackdown by authorities on a peaceful rally in Hub Chowki. The protest, organised by the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC), was held to denounce the extrajudicial killing of Zeeshan Zaheer, a BYC member from Panjgur, allegedly targeted by a state-backed death squad.
The BYC reports that a large number of women, children, and families of forcibly disappeared persons had joined the rally. Despite the peaceful nature of the protest, security forces responded with aerial firing, tear gas shelling, and mass arrests once the demonstration ended. Among those detained were four women — Sadiya, Samina, Aseela, and Mehtab — and human rights activist Abdullah Baloch. More than 20 hours later, their whereabouts remain unknown, with no legal proceedings initiated.
Who is Tommy Robinson?
Robinson rose to prominence in the UK as the founder of the English Defence League (EDL), a far-right, anti-Islam group notorious for staging violent protests between 2009 and 2013. His activism has long focused on immigration, Islam, and what he describes as the failure of British authorities to confront crimes like grooming gang abuse.
Over the years, he has been jailed for assault (2005), mortgage fraud (2014), and previous contempt of court offences (2019), the latter for filming defendants during a grooming gang trial and potentially jeopardising judicial proceedings.
Robinson portrays himself as a whistleblower silenced by the state, gaining significant online backing, including from Elon Musk earlier this year, who reinstated Robinson’s X account and has echoed his claims about establishment failures in prosecuting child sexual exploitation cases.
Musk had also advocated for his release from jail in January saying, "Why is Tommy Robinson in a solitary confinement prison for telling the truth? He should be freed and those who covered up this travesty should take his place in that cell."
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