Arrest and Release
Tommy Robinson, a well-known far-right activist, has been granted bail after his arrest on suspicion of grievous bodily harm. The 42-year-old was taken into custody on Monday evening at Luton airport, following an alleged assault on a man at a London railway station the previous week.
Incident Overview
The British Transport Police reported on Tuesday that Robinson’s bail is pending further investigations until September 2. Robinson, whose actual name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was arrested after returning to the UK on a flight from Faro, Portugal.
The alleged attack occurred on July 28 at St Pancras train station in central London. Police received reports of an assault around 8:40 PM, where a 64-year-old victim suffered serious injuries and required hospital treatment.
Timeline of Events
- On July 28, the alleged assault occurred.
- Robinson immediately left the UK, flying first to Tenerife, Spain.
- He then traveled from Tenerife to Faro before returning to Luton airport, where police were waiting for him.
Details of the Assault
Following the incident, video footage surfaced showing the injured man on the ground, while Robinson appeared to assert that he acted in self-defense. The video does not provide clarity on how the 64-year-old ended up on the ground. He was hospitalized with head injuries but was discharged two days later.
Background on Tommy Robinson
Robinson is a former leader of the English Defence League and is labeled by the far-right monitoring group Hope Not Hate as the “best-known far-right extremist in Britain.”
In a statement regarding the arrest, the British Transport Police shared, “Officers from BTP have tonight (4 August) arrested a 42-year-old man from Bedfordshire in connection to an assault at St Pancras station on 28 July. The arrest took place at Luton airport shortly after 6:30 PM, following a notification that the man had boarded an incoming flight from Faro.”
The police typically reserve naming arrested suspects until charges are formally laid against them.
