Video footage showing the moment the former leader of the English Defence League, Tommy Robinson, turns up unannounced at the controversial counter-extremism think-tank Quilliam Foundation‘s office in London.
Stephen Lennon, commonly known as “Tommy Robinson” told 5Pillars that he turned up at Quilliam’s office with cameraman, George Llewelyn-John, from the right-wing Rebel Media to ask the think-tank’s senior researcher, Julia Ebner, why she allegedly labelled him a white supremacist in an article she wrote in The Guardian on Monday – a claim she denies in the video.
Strongly rejecting the accusation that he is a white supremacist, Mr Robinson said that Ms Ebner initially engaged with him until Adam Deen, Quilliam’s executive director, aggressively intervened and told his colleague not to comment in front of the camera.
However, Quilliam stated in a press release that: “Quilliam was victim to extremist Tommy Robinson and alt-right Rebel media’s George Llewelyn-John trespassing in our office using aggressive and bullying behaviour today, after they barged in to our London address, verbally harassing and physically intimidating our staff.
“Tommy proceeded to abuse and bully junior staff, failing to leave the premises when asked, eventually being escorted off-site by the police. Having arrived with a cameraman from the alt-right Rebel Media, George Llewelyn-John, they hounded Quilliam staff and repeatedly refused to have a reasoned discussion.”
Mr Robinson claimed that his cameraman was assaulted and their filming equipment was damaged by Mr Deen before police officers arrived at the scene and returned it back to them.
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The former leader of the EDL told 5Pillars that he is not a member of Britain First but feels that groups like Pegida UK, UKIP, Britain First and the EDL are unfairly treated by the mainstream media.
He added that he will be attending demonstrations held by right-wing, left-wing and Muslim organisations to analyse protest culture and behaviours.
Mr Robinson said that he will directly confront journalists and media outlets who misrepresent his views, claiming that he is not a white supremacist, a Nazi or a racist, but only opposes Islam which he describes as a “fascist ideology”.
The counter-extremism think-tank claimed that they had “de-radicalised” Mr Robinson and played a key role in him leaving the EDL in October 2013.
But in December 2015, Mr Robinson revealed that Quilliam paid him to leave the EDL.
This video was cross-posted from the Rebel Media YouTube channel.
