He is not satisfied with merely campaigning for US President-elect Donald Trump and urging Germans to vote for the far-right political party. Alternative to Germany (AfD) In ​​the country’s upcoming elections, American billionaire Elon Musk is ruffling political feathers in the UK as well as campaigning online for the release of Tommy Robinson, a businessman. Right-wing extremist activistfrom prison.

Here’s more on Robinson, who is currently serving time for violating a court order, but was also previously imprisoned for assault and contempt of court:

What did Musk say about Tommy Robinson?

Musk, who was recently appointed a special adviser by Trump, posted several times on his X account on Wednesday and Thursday, suggesting that Robinson, a notorious far-right activist who campaigns against immigration and Islam, should be released from prison.

Release Tommy Robinson!@TRobinsonNewEra

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 2, 2025

He wrote in another post: “Why is Tommy Robinson in solitary confinement because he told the truth?”

Why is Tommy Robinson in solitary confinement for telling the truth?

He should be released, and the one who covered up this farce in that cell should take his place. https://t.co/Dn48JLoJgR

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025

Who is Tommy Robinson and why is he in prison?

Stephen Yaxley Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, 42, is currently serving an 18-month prison sentence after admitting contempt of court during a defamation case involving Syrian refugee schoolboy Jamal Hijazi.

A video went viral in the UK in October 2018, showing 15-year-old Hejazi being attacked by another teenager at a school in Allmondbury, Yorkshire in northern England.

Robinson posted videos on his Facebook account in response, in which he claimed that Hegazy had assaulted “little English girls” and threatened to stab a boy at school, allegations that Hegazy denied.

These videos, which were viewed by nearly a million people, led to Hegazy and his family receiving death threats.

The Supreme Court ruled in 2021 that Robinson had defamed Hegazy and ordered him to pay £100,000 ($124,000) in compensation. The judge also issued him an injunction preventing him from repeating his allegations.

However, in February 2023, Robinson began repeating these claims and made a documentary that he posted on his X account claiming that he had been “silenced by the state.” In July 2024, this documentary was shown to viewers in Trafalgar Square in London.

He was sentenced to 18 months in prison by Woolwich Crown Court in October 2024 after he admitted breaching the 2021 injunction.

His documentary, “Silent,” is still on X and has 146.2 million views as of Friday. It has been retweeted by about 101,000 people, including Musk.

Robinson was banned from X, then known as Twitter, in 2018. However, he was allowed to return to the platform in 2018 when Musk bought it. Robinson now has over 1 million followers on X.

In the past, Robinson has been imprisoned for assault (2005), mortgage fraud (2014), and contempt of court (2024).

In 2019, it was He was sentenced to nine months In prison for contempt of court after he uploaded a video to Facebook showing defendants in a criminal trial. The trial was for a gang of alleged sex offenders accused of abusing young girls.

He founded a far-right anti-Islam organization. English Defense LeagueIn June 2009, it organized violent demonstrations against Islam and remained active until approximately 2013.

Why did Musk throw his support to Robinson?

Musk’s posts supporting Robinson come in the wake of the long-running grooming ring scandal in the UK that Musk claims Robinson tried to expose.

In June 2022, an independent review found that police and council failed to prevent the sexual exploitation of young girls by gangs in Oldham, northern England. The review identified multiple opportunities to stop abuses starting in 2005.

In July 2024, political leaders on Oldham Council called on the government to investigate child sexual abuse in the town at the hands of “grooming gangs”.

But in October 2024, Home Secretary Jess Phillips rejected the council’s request, saying it should lead the investigation itself.

On Wednesday, the right-leaning British newspaper GB News reported on the matter and blamed the Labor Party, which came to power in July in a landslide election that ousted the Conservatives after 14 years in power, for failing to deal with grooming gangs. The report was amplified by Musk, as well as Conservative leaders in the UK.

Musk posted on his X account saying that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer failed to prosecute child rapists when he was Director of Public Prosecutions between 2008 and 2013. He also posted on X’s account on Friday: “Jess Phillips defends rape genocide.”

Musk’s posts supporting Robinson come alongside a wave of his posts supporting European right-wing figures online. In late December, he wrote an opinion piece in support of the right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He also supported the far-right British Reform Party led by Nigel Farage and the right-wing Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni.

Health Minister Wes Streeting said Musk’s views were “misjudged and misleading.”

Labor MP Stella Creasy said: “Musk’s support, not just for Tommy Robinson, but also for the AfD in Germany, shows how big of a problem he is for democracy, as well as the reputation of those who cozy up to him like Nigel Farage and Liz Truss.” Politico said.

In December, Farage met Musk at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. On Thursday, Musk posted on X: “Only reform can save Britain.”

Only reform can save Britain. https://t.co/KayCknFQUZ

– Elon Musk (@elonmusk) January 1, 2025

In 2018, Farage resigned from the United Kingdom Independence Party (UKIP) after its leader, Gerard Batten, appointed Robinson as an official adviser.

The head of the reform, Zia Yusuf, is also a Muslim. Farage has yet to publicly respond to Musk’s recent posts about Robinson.