Hundreds of demonstrators have assembled to protest Tommy Robinson’s prison sentence in a bid to secure his release.
Around 500 protesters are chanting ‘let Tommy out’ at police officers outside Leeds Crown Court — where the right-wing activist was sentenced last week.
The march saw Robinson’s supporters brand police officers a ‘disgrace’, as chants of ‘you ought to be ashamed of yourselves’ broke out.
Robinson, 35, was jailed for 13 months last Friday for contempt of court after broadcasting on Facebook Live outside Leeds Crown Court — putting the major trial at risk of collapse.
Sentencing, Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told Robinson: ‘This contempt hearing is not about free speech… It is about ensuring that a jury are not in any way inhibited from carrying out their important function.’
A man smoking a cigarette holds his dog which is wearing a #FREETOMMY coat as hundreds of supporters of the former EDL leader descend on Leeds Crown Court where he was jailed last week
West Yorkshire Police officers are supervising the protest a week after the former EDL leader was sentenced to 13 months in prison for risking the collapse of a trial
Hundreds of Tommy Robinson’s supporters have gathered outside Leeds Crown Court to protest the former EDL’s jail sentence last week
Protesters branded officers policing the event a ‘disgrace’, as chants of ‘you ought to be ashamed of yourselves’ as they waves the Union Jack and St Georges Flag
Hundreds of protesters are being watched by police as they protest outside Leeds Crown Court, where former EDL leader Tommy Robinson was jailed for contempt
Officers mounted on horseback supervised chanting protesters as they marched through the streets of Leeds in to demonstrates against Robinson’s sentence
Around 400 of Robinson’s elite fans ascended upon Leeds Crown Court after right-wing activists in America rushed to his support after restrictions ordered by a judge initially prevented his court case and jail term being reported
A reporting restriction had initially prevented the media from reporting his conviction, but this was lifted at the same court on Tuesday
The court heard how Robinson had filmed himself and people involved in the case, in footage that was watched around 250,000 times within hours of being posted
Robinson, who was listed by his real name Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon on court documents, was sentenced to 13 months in jail on the same day as his arrest
Demonstrators shouted: ‘Oh Tommy Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy, Tommy Robinson’ and ‘Free Tommy Now’ down the street. Many fans were brandishing ‘#FreeTommy’ placards – with one which read ‘Free the truth teller. Free Tommy’
Why was Tommy Robinson jailed? Judge sentences former EDL leader to 13 months in jail for contempt
The judge who jailed Tommy Robinson told him his Facebook Live could have collapsed a six-week trial if the jurors saw it.
Mr Justice Marson QC said that Robinson had failed in his ‘responsibility to exercise freedom of speech within the law’.
Within five hours of his arrest Robinson was jailed for 13 months after pleading guilty to contempt in relation to an ongoing trial.
He also admitted breaching the terms of a suspended sentence he was handed in Canterbury last May for a similar offence.
Mr Justice Marson QC said: ‘No one could possibly conclude that it would be anything other than highly prejudicial to the defendants in the trial. I respect everyone’s right to free speech. That’s one of the most important rights that we have.
‘With those rights come responsibilities. The responsibility to exercise that freedom of speech within the law. I am not sure you appreciate the potential consequence of what you have done.
‘If the jurors in my present trial get to know of this video I will no doubt be faced with an application to discharge the jury. If I have to do that it will mean a re-trial, costing hundreds and hundreds and thousands of pounds.’
The event today was organised by the group Proud British, which claims on Facebook that its purpose is to ‘voice freedom of speech’ and ‘stop the strain on the NHS, schools and our public services’.
The court last week heard how Robinson had filmed himself and people involved in the case, in footage that was watched around 250,000 times within hours of being posted.
Robinson, who was listed by his real name Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon on court documents, was sentenced to 13 months in jail on the same day as his arrest.
He was given 10 months in jail for contempt of court, and an additional three months for beaching a previous suspended sentence.
Right-wing activists in America have rushed to support Robinson, after restrictions ordered by a judge initially prevented his court case and jail term being reported.
A host of conspiracy theories in the US then began claiming that he was imprisoned as part of a plot to silence the right.
Judge Geoffrey Marson QC told Robinson at the time: ‘Everyone understands the right to freedom of speech but there are responsibilities and obligations.’
A reporting restriction had initially prevented the media from reporting his conviction, but this was lifted at the same court on Tuesday.
The Judge said on Friday: ‘If the jurors in my present trial get to know of this video I will no doubt be faced with an application to discharge the jury.
‘If I have to do that it will mean a re-trial, costing hundreds and hundreds and thousands of pounds.’
The judge added: ‘This contempt hearing is not about free speech. This is not about the freedom of the press.
‘This is not about legitimate journalism, this is not about political correctness, this is not about whether one political viewpoint is right or another.
‘It is about justice and it is about ensuring that a trial can be carried out justly and fairly.
‘It is about ensuring that a jury are not in any way inhibited from carrying out their important function.’
A reporting restriction had initially prevented the media from reporting Robinson’s conviction, but this was lifted at the same court on Tuesday
Protesters pictures chatting with police officers as they stand guard outside Leeds Crown Court today where demonstrators are voicing their anger at Robinson’s sentence
Around 400 of his elite fans ascended upon Leeds Crown Court, West Yorks., to support the caged far-right activist. But police had already closed off the road
One man, dressed as the grim reaper, brandished a placard emblazoned with ‘FREE SPEECH IS DEAD’ outside Leeds Crown Court today
Protesters also called on members of the press to publish details of the case that Robinson, of Bedfordshire, had been filming, in line with ‘the principle of open justice’
One sign read ‘Stand with Tommy, free Tommy now,’ whilst another branded the police, government and justice system as ‘corrupt’
A man and woman with posters that read ‘STAND WITH TOMMY – FREE TOMMY NOW’. Robinson was jailed for contempt of court after risking the collapse of a trial
A man with #FREE TOMMY written onto a piece of paper outside Leeds Crown Court today where demonstrators are protesting the right-wing activist’s sentence
Tommy Robinson was held by police and taken up to a courtroom where he pleaded guilty to contempt of court. He also pleaded guilty to breaching a suspended sentence from a previous court case
Judge Geoffrey Marson QC blasted Robinson for his ‘highly prejudicial actions’. Referring to separate court proceedings that Robinson was in danger of derailing Judge Marson QC said: ‘No one could possibly conclude that it would be anything other than highly prejudicial to the defendants in the trial
The Judge said on Friday: ‘If the jurors in my present trial get to know of this video I will no doubt be faced with an application to discharge the jury. ‘If I have to do that it will mean a re-trial, costing hundreds and hundreds and thousands of pounds
During Friday’s demonstration, hoards of people were seen waving flags bearing the St George’s Cross and handmade placards voicing support for Robinson.
One read ‘Stand with Tommy, free Tommy now,’ whilst another branded the police, government and justice system as ‘corrupt’.
Protesters also called on members of the press to publish details of the case that Robinson, of Bedfordshire, had been filming, in line with ‘the principle of open justice’.