British anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson was convicted on Wednesday of harassing two Daily Mail journalists involved in a story that tracked him down to Cyprus, where he was on holiday, during the riots that spread across Britain in 2024.
A jury at Southwark Crown Court in London found him guilty by a 10-2 majority on two counts of harassment causing fear of violence, relating to messages and calls to the journalists. He was released on bail ahead of sentencing in December.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, stood trial under the name Stephen Lennon.
After three young girls were murdered in the northern town of Southport in July 2024, Robinson repeatedly posted about the killings as riots spread across Britain.
The Daily Mail tracked him down to Cyprus, where he was on holiday with his family, and published a story accusing him of “stoking race riots from his sunbed”.
Robinson kept contacting two journalists involved in the story, posted several messages about them on X and said he had photos of their home address and family.
He said he had only intended to pressure the journalists and the newspaper into removing a picture of his ex-wife from its website.
Before the trial, Robinson said Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of X, was supporting his defence. Musk often reposts Robinson and allowed him back on the platform.
Musk paid for Robinson’s defence last year when he was charged with failing to give police his phone PIN, a charge on which a judge cleared him. Musk also took part virtually in a London rally Robinson organised last year.
(With information from Reuters)
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