Tommy Robinson Deleted From Facebook And Instagram

26 February 2019, 12:25 | Updated: 30 April 2019, 12:31

Tommy Robinson's official page has been removed from both Facebook and Instagram.

Facebook said the far-right campaigner regularly "uses dehumanising language and calls for violence targeted at Muslims".

In a statement about Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, Facebook said: "When ideas and opinions cross the line and amount to hate speech that may create an environment of intimidation and exclusion for certain groups in society – in some cases with potentially dangerous offline implications – we take action.

"Our public Community Standards state this sort of speech is not acceptable on Facebook – and when we become aware of it, we remove it as quickly as we can.

"Our rules also make clear that individuals and organisations that are engaged in “organised hate” are not allowed on the platform, and that praise or support for these figures and groups is also banned. This is true regardless of the ideology they espouse.

"Tommy Robinson’s Facebook Page has repeatedly broken these standards, posting material that uses dehumanising language and calls for violence targeted at Muslims. He has also behaved in ways that violate our policies around organised hate.

"As a result, in accordance with our policies, we have removed Tommy Robinson’s official Facebook Page and Instagram profile. This is not a decision we take lightly, but individuals and organisations that attack others on the basis of who they are have no place on Facebook or Instagram."

Hope Not Hate chief executive Nick Lowles said: "Stephen Lennon is a far-right thug who uses his platform to bully, abuse and stir up division, monetising his hatred to earn huge sums while hiding behind a fake free speech mantle.

"Lennon has a long record of abuse towards minorities such as Muslims so we welcome Facebook's continued actions cleaning up their platform."