Tommy Robinson Detained at Heathrow Airport Under Counter-Terrorism Legislation, Phones Seized

Far-right activist Tommy Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was detained at Heathrow Airport on Saturday evening under the Counter Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019. Police confirmed a man in his 40s was stopped at approximately 17:00 GMT after travelling to the UK from Russia, via Turkey.

A Metropolitan Police spokesperson stated: "The man was interviewed by officers and his communication devices were seized. He was subsequently released." This incident follows Robinson's recent visit to Moscow, where he posted a video on social media platform X showing a meeting with Elon Musk's father.

This is not the first instance of Robinson being scrutinised under such legislation. In November, he was acquitted of a terror offence after refusing to grant police access to his phone during a stop at the Channel Tunnel in Folkestone in July 2024. At that time, Robinson asserted that his device contained sensitive journalistic material, justifying his refusal to provide the PIN.