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Are there recorded incidents where Tommy Robinson used racial slurs or advocated violence against minorities?
Executive summary
Available reporting documents multiple instances where Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) used racist language or was shown in footage using racial slurs (e.g., leaked 2019 video where he uses racist slurs and dubs himself “King of the whole Islam race”) and where critics and organisations cite him as encouraging or enabling violence against migrants and Muslims [1] [2]. Recent coverage also links his posts to real-world harassment of a Black family and to calls that his rhetoric fuels attacks on minorities during mass rallies [3] [4].
1. Direct examples in older footage: a leaked video with racial slurs
A widely reported leaked video from February 2019 shows Robinson using racist slurs and making inflammatory claims about Muslims; outlets summarised the footage as him dubbing himself “King of the whole Islam race” and using derogatory language while boasting about drink and drugs [1] [5]. Multiple outlets extracted the same clip to document that Robinson used explicit racial slurs in private or semi-private videos circulated among associates [1] [5].
2. Accusations that he provided advice enabling racist or violent rhetoric
Investigations and reporting have alleged Robinson advised far‑right activists and users who used racial slurs and called for violence against migrants, with a Times‑linked sting describing him giving tactical guidance to anti‑Islam activists and noting examples of activists using terms like “Islamic rats” and urging violence against migrants [2]. That reporting frames Robinson not only as a source of abusive language but as a tactical influencer amplifying others who advocated violence [2].
3. Harm documented after his posts: the Redcar family case
Recent reporting shows a concrete downstream harm: Robinson shared a video of a Black man with his white granddaughters in a park, which prompted sustained online racist abuse and threats against the family, who were forced to leave home and live in fear; local politicians and police intervened, and commentators attributed the abuse to Robinson’s “poisonous lies” [3]. Outlets state the family received racial slurs and death threats after the clip was amplified by him, showing how his posts have produced real-world harassment [3].
4. Mass rallies and the atmosphere they create: links to violence and threats
Coverage of Robinson’s large rallies in 2025 — notably “Unite the Kingdom” — records clashes, chants of extremist slogans among attendees, and numerous injuries and arrests; critics and community groups warned that his rhetoric fuels attacks on refugees, mosques and minority communities, arguing a clear relationship exists between his messages and increased harassment or violence [6] [4] [7]. Reporting by several outlets emphasises that his mobilising power has coincided with a spike in targeted incidents and threats [6] [4].
5. Who accuses him and who defends him — competing perspectives
Advocates of the view that Robinson is racist and incites violence include NGOs (HOPE not hate), community groups, and many mainstream media outlets pointing to specific language, videos and downstream harms [8] [2] [3]. Supporters argue he is a campaigner on crime and immigration, sometimes insisting his posts are journalism or “banter,” and his defenders have raised free‑speech and political motivation claims around police actions [5] [9]. Available sources show both the allegations of racist language and the defences that frame some actions as political speech or disputed context [1] [5] [9].
6. Limitations and what sources do not say
Available sources document specific videos, alleged advice to activists, and instances where his posts preceded harassment and violence [1] [2] [3] [4]. They do not provide a comprehensive catalogue of every utterance across his entire output, nor do they present a legal finding in every cited instance that he personally committed a criminal violent act rather than being linked as an instigator — some charges against him relate to harassment or other offences and remain subject to legal process [10] [9]. If you are seeking a court conviction specifically for “advocating violence” in each instance, available reporting does not confirm that every allegation resulted in criminal convictions; some are prosecutorial charges or journalistic investigations [10] [9].
7. Journalistic takeaway: evidence of racist language and consequential influence
Reporting across multiple outlets documents that Robinson has used racial slurs in leaked footage [1] [5], has been accused of coaching and amplifying activists who used dehumanising language and encouraged violence [2], and that his amplification of content has led to targeted harassment of minority families and heightened tensions at mass events [3] [4] [7]. Sources disagree on motive, context, and legal culpability: some defenders frame his actions as political speech or private banter, while critics and community organisations present a pattern linking his rhetoric to real‑world harm [5] [8] [4].