Tommy Robinson has been accused of whipping up far-right riots from a five-star hotel in Cyprus.
The right-wing agitator was accused of stoking tensions from afar after he promoted a “pro-UK” rally and appeared to defend the unrest on social media while on holiday abroad.
The activist, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, left the country after committing “flagrant” contempt of court relating to a film played at a protest in central London, the High Court heard.
Robinson was due to appear at the Royal Courts of Justice last Monday for a hearing in his latest contempt of court case but was not in attendance.
A warrant was issued for Robinson’s arrest but ordered that it not be carried out “until early October” to allow the 41-year-old time to indicate that he would attend the next hearing voluntarily.
But in the days since Robinson has been regularly posting about riots across Britain on social media from the comfort of an Ayia Napa hotel, according to the Mirror.
Images published in the Daily Mail showed Robinson at a five-star resort reading a book and sunbathing.
Following the story in the Mail, Robinson tweeted his “kids are crying” adding that “we come here so I could spend some quality time with them”.
Robinson has been providing commentary on the riots calling for “mass deportations” and said the protesters had “legitimate concerns”.
Campaigners have accused the English Defence League founder of being “influential” in stoking up the protests.
A spokesperson for Hope Not Hate told The Independent: “There is no doubt that Tommy Robinson’s social media is playing a really important role in these far-right demos.
“Tommy Robinson’s reach has grown since his X account was reinstated last year.
“His last two demos in London have attracted tens of thousands of people and his X following is now over 800,000 people, meaning he once again has an enormous reach online.
“After Monday’s horrific attack, Tommy Robinson was regularly tweeting calling Islam a mental health issue, sharing videos of disorder and encouraging to join future demonstrations. One said: ’get there and show your support. People need to rise up.’
“We know that he was influential in Tuesday’s disturbance in Southport, rioters were chanting Tommy Robinson’s name and “Who the f*** is Allah?” - these are chants regularly heard at far-right demonstrations.”
Riots first broke out after three young girls were killed in a mass stabbing at a Taylor Swift themed dance class in Southport, near Liverpool.
Axel Muganwa Rudakubana, 17, from Lancashire, is accused of the attack, but false claims spread online that the suspect was an asylum seeker who had arrived in the UK by boat.
Also speaking to the Independent Sabby Dhalu, co-convenor of Stand up to Racism said: “What we’re seeing in Liverpool, Hull, Sunderland, Hartlepool, Southport and elsewhere, is not just violent disorder and thuggery.
“They are racist, Islamophobic, fascist riots, with targeted attacks on Mosques, asylum seekers and anyone not white.
“Tommy Robinson is deliberately stoking up racism and Islamophobia, whilst on the run.
“It’s no accident that the riots took place days after Robinson mobilised 15,000 in Trafalgar Square last week. Fascists are emboldened.
“However this did not emerge from a vacuum. It’s a product of politicians stirring up Islamophobia and racism, whilst making people worse off.
“The only way to defeat this movement is to unite, mobilise against fascism and stand up to racism, Islamophobia and antisemitism.”
