Britain moves from Orwell to Kafka, imprisoning Tommy Robinson and gagging media reports

May 28, 2018 By Thomas Lifson
 

Is Britain lost to the ranks of free nations? The land that bequeathed the world the Magna Carta and the "mother of parliaments" is indulging in totalitarianism with its handling of Tommy Robinson, a famous political activist agitating about the threat of radical Islam and attempting to report on the trial of a Muslim "grooming gang" that allegedly preyed on young English girls, forcing them into prostitution. I wrote about the fragmentary reports of his arrest in Leeds two days ago for the alleged crimes of "breach of the peace and incitement." ............... In the space of the next few hours, a judge tried, convicted, and sentenced him to 13 months in jail – and also issued a gag order, demanding a total news blackout on the case in the British news media. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was immediately taken to Hull Prison. Most media outlets were remarkably compliant................ Yesterday, according to the U.K.'s Evening Standard, hundreds of protesters gathered outside Downing Street, the residence of the prime minister, chanting Robinson's name.  Twitter also allowed reports on the demonstration to remain up:...........Read more