British far-right activist Tommy Robinson detained under counterterrorism law after returning from Russia

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson was briefly detained at Heathrow Airport this past weekend after returning from Russia via Turkey, according to a report by the Financial Times citing the Metropolitan Police. Robinson himself posted a photo on X showing a document indicating that he had been stopped under provisions of Britain’s counterterrorism legislation.

Police said Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was stopped on the evening of June 13 after arriving in the UK. He was questioned under Schedule 3 of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019 and was later released without charge.

Robinson said the detention lasted around three hours. The document he posted says Schedule 3 allows border officials to stop, question, and search people to determine whether they may be involved in “hostile activity.” The powers can be used without requiring suspicion that a person has committed a crime.

In recent days, Robinson had posted videos from Moscow, where he met Elon Musk’s father, Errol. He also actively commented on a knife attack in Belfast and shared information about the ensuing protests in Northern Ireland, some of which escalated into anti-migrant riots.

The unrest in Belfast broke out last week after a 30-year-old Sudanese citizen with legal refugee status in the UK stabbed a local resident. Video of the attack spread quickly on social media, prompting far-right activists to call for citizens to take to the streets. In several parts of the city, protesters set fire to public transportation objects, along with homes where migrants lived.

Robinson called the incident “yet another invader attack on our people” and joined the call for mass action. Elon Musk, for his part, reposted content listing gathering points for protesters across Northern Ireland. Kirill Dmitriev, head of the Russian Direct Investment Fund, also commented on the events, claiming that British Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s policies “fuel conflicts.”

Tommy Robinson is one of the best-known figures in Britain’s far-right. In October 2024, he was sentenced to 18 months in prison for contempt of court after violating a court order barring him from repeating defamatory claims about a Syrian schoolboy who had faced racist bullying. Robinson characterized that prosecution as an attempt to restrict free speech.