British anti-Muslim activist Robinson misses visa for US speaking tour
British far-right activist Tommy Robinson has failed to get a US visa in time for a fundraising tour of the country.
Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, had been due to meet Republican congressmen in Washington and attend the Middle East Forum in Philadelphia.
British politicians said that the former leader of the anti-Muslim English Defence League could make up to £1 million (Dh4.7m) through speaking appearances.
Robinson, 35, was jailed in the UK in 2013 for using someone else’s passport to travel to the US. He has also served time for assault and mortgage fraud, and has been convicted of drug offences.
He is on bail after being charged with contempt of court by British authorities this year in a highly publicised case that won him supporters in US far-right circles.
Forum president David Pipes, who invited Robinson to the US, said it would take a while for the campaigner to obtain a visa. Robinson will still appear on video link at a panel discussion hosted by the forum today with former editor-in-chief for Breitbart London Raheem Kassam, Canadian activist Ezra Levant and Anne Marie Waters, leader of the far-right For Britain party.
The topic of discussion is online platforms blocking people from expressing their opinions.
PayPal recently blocked Robinson from using their service. He said it did this because he did not fit in with the company’s user guidelines and that followers could “support” him using Bitcoin instead.
One of Robinson’s former assistants said he had received almost £2 million in donations after his jailing and appeal case this year.
The father of three also plans to visit Australia next month as part of a five-city speaking tour. Tickets for the event, in which Robinson is joined by Vice co-founder Gavin McInnes, will cost up to $995.
Last week, dozens of British politicians from major political parties signed a joint letter to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo urging him not to allow Robinson into the country.
They said he was using the trip to “promote his violent and extremist agenda”, and would use any funds he was paid for “disruptive demonstrations in communities in the UK”.
The State Department said it did not discuss individual visa cases in accordance with US law.
“Applications are refused if an applicant is found to be ineligible under the Immigration and Nationality Act or other provisions of US law,” a spokesman said.
Robinson would probably have problems obtaining a visa because of his previous criminal convictions.