UK’s English Defence League Cofounder Goes Playing, Declares Chapter

Final yr, a British court docket informed Tommy Robinson, the cofounder of the far-right Islamophobic group English Defence League (EDL), to pay £500,000 (US$624,300) to settle a libel go well with. He hasn’t complied, however hasn’t had any points spending cash playing earlier than declaring chapter.

Tommy Robinson, cofounder and former head of the anti-Islam group English Defence League. He appeared in court docket yesterday on allegations he’s in contempt of court docket. (Picture: The Impartial)

Jamal Hijazi sued Robinson (legally Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) for libel after he was attacked in October 2018 at Almondbury Neighborhood Faculty in Huddersfield. After a video of the incident flooded social media, Robinson claimed that Hijazi violently attacked English women on the college.

Robinson, a former member of the British Nationwide Celebration, added that Hijazi had “crushed a woman black and blue” and threatened to stab one other boy. These claims have been confirmed false in court docket final summer season. Because of this, the decide ordered Robinson to pay £43,293 (US$54.072) for authorized prices after a November 2020 pre-trial listening to. Nonetheless, Robinson apparently had different plans.

Disregarding the Regulation

After Hijazi’s profitable lawsuit for libel, a decide ordered Robinson to pay damages of £100,000 (US$124,930). He additionally needed to pay the plaintiff’s authorized bills, roughly £500,000.

Robinson allegedly didn’t adjust to the decide’s order. Because of this, Hijazi’s attorneys petitioned the court docket to drive Robinson to seem and reply any questions concerning his funds. A decide fulfilled the request, and Robinson was due again in court docket in March.

The EDL founder didn’t seem. He knowledgeable the Excessive Court docket final month that he missed the listening to due to psychological well being points ensuing from harassment. Nonetheless, he lastly appeared yesterday at a listening to in London, the BBC experiences.

Robinson described himself as a “catastrophe with paper” throughout questioning by the Excessive Court docket about his funds. He additionally informed the court docket he owed £160,000 (US$199,872) to HM Income and Customs, the British tax authority. Nonetheless, he later said that this was solely an estimate.

He additionally mentioned that he had spent roughly £100,000 playing two years earlier than declaring chapter. He mentioned, “I offered a property and obtained the cash. I then spent it.” Nonetheless, different experiences point out that a few of that cash could have come by means of donations he obtained.

Robinson additionally tried to say psychological misery. He mentioned he suffers from PTSD and that the general public fallout has been an excessive amount of. He complained that he hasn’t been capable of open a checking account, with NatWest, HSBC, and Lloyds shutting him down. It’s not all dangerous, although, as Robinson has been capable of open an account with an unidentified on-line financial institution.

Misguided Course

The EDL pushes the identical rhetoric about Islam as different hate teams. For instance, it denounces Muslim extremism however then places all Muslims in that class. Robinson led the group from 2009 to 2013.

Throughout his listening to yesterday, Robinson additionally answered questions on his autobiography, Enemy Of The State. In it, he claimed that seven properties have been in his or his spouse’s names when he helped set up the EDL in 2009.

Nonetheless, he acknowledged that there weren’t seven properties. He shrugged when requested if he believed the ebook was false and mentioned he had written it years in the past. His excuse was that he had used a ghost-writer to assist him with the ebook.

Throughout the listening to, there have been additionally questions on his paid employment with a Canadian far-right information website and an internet media startup. He acknowledged a relationship with them however added that he didn’t obtain a wage as a result of “they haven’t obtained any.”

Robinson should return to court docket in August to find out if he has dedicated contempt of court docket.