SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018 CAMBRIDGE-NEWS.CO.

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HOUR-LONG STREET BUST-UP AFTER EDL FOUNDER

TOMMY ROBINSON APPEARS IN COURT TO SUE POLICE

LAUGHING
IT OFF
Photo: KEITH JONES

PAGE 6
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6 CAMBRIDGE NEWS
News
Co-founder of EDL in
clash with protester
ONLOOKERS WATCH
AS PAIR ARGUE FOR
AN HOUR ON STREET
OUTSIDE COURT
RACHAEL MCMENEMY
Reporter
rachael.mcmenemy@
cambridge-news.co.uk
THE founder of the English
Defence League (EDL)
Tommy Robinson was caught
up in a clash with a protester
outside a Cambridge court
yesterday.
The pair were filmed shout-
ing in each other’s faces and
making hand gestures as they
went head-to-head.
Drivers passing by the hos-
tile scene beeped their horns
as the two men argued.
Mr Robinson, who left the
EDL in 2013, was at Cam-
bridge County Court accusing
the police of harassment.
Throughout the day drama
followed Mr Robinson around
the city.
Before the hearing he was
confronted by a woman in a
café as he was sitting eating a
bacon roll.
In the Espresso Library next
to the court, a woman stood
up and announced his pres-
ence to the other customers,
expressing her horror at shar-
ing space with Mr Robinson
and labelling him “racist”.
The hearing itself was short,
with the court agreeing a
timeline for the civil trial.
It is due to go ahead some
time between September 10
and December 7, 2018.
As he left court, the EDL co-
founder was confronted with
cameras by YouTuber Ali
Dawah and supporters.
Mr Dawah insisted on a
‘debate’ with Mr Robinson
about his views. And Mr
Robinson was happy to
oblige.
The duo battled it out for
nearly an hour on the street
outside the court debating
their political, religious and
philosophical views.
Crowds gathered around
the men as both vied to be
heard over the other.
During the clash the two
ranted at each other and Mr
Robinson was seen laughing
off the confrontation and the
accusations being hurled at
him.
Both men could barely be
heard as they screamed over
the top of each other and
SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2018
“
I’ve been looking
for him to have a
debate and a
discussion
Ali Dawah
focused on videoing the con-
frontation for their different
supporters.
Mr Robinson even started a
Facebook live stream.
Mr Dawah repeatedly called
Mr Robinson a ‘hate preach-
er’ and Mr Robinson labelled
his debating opponent ‘jihadi
Ali’, insisting he was neither
racist nor Islamophobic.
After nearly an hour the
argument tapered off and the
two shook hands.
They agreed to have an offi-
cial debate at a later date.
Despite being called a
‘debate’, the confrontation
seemed more like an angry
argument.
The duo repeatedly jabbed
fingers at each other through-
out and raised their voices.
The arguments mostly con-
sisted of disagreements over
Islam.
Mr Dawah told the News he
had been trying to track down
Mr Robinson for a year.
He said: “I’ve been looking
for him to have a debate and
discussion.
“I asked him officially ‘let’s
have a debate, let’s have a
discussion’, he was like ‘no,
no’.”
Mr Robinson is suing Cam-
bridge Constabulary, claim-
ing officers harassed his
family and told them he had
to leave the city.
In August 2016, Mr Robin-
son, real name Stephen Yax-
ley-Lennon, was in the Hop
and Grain Store pub following
a Luton Town 3-0 victory over
Cambridge United at the
Abbey.
He claims several police
officers confronted him and
told him he had to leave not
just the pub but the city.
Mr Robinson claims he is
suing the force because the
CCN-EO1-S2 cambridge-news.co.uk
EDL co-founder
Tommy Robinson
arrives at court
Photo: KEITH JONES
Onlookers watch Tommy
Robinson and Ali Dawah
outside Cambridge
County Court
Photo: KEITH JONES
incident traumatised his chil-
dren.
Mr Robinson told the News:
“I went to Parker’s Piece fair
with my three children, aged
five, seven and nine.
“We’d been at the fair, then
went back to the pub.
“Police came into the
premises and said we had to
leave the city, not the pub,
just the city,” Mr Robinson
added.
He added: “They followed
us with cameras, my kids got
hysterical.
“The next week we were
walking through town and my
daughter grabbed my leg
because she was scared by
police.
“I want to explain to my kids
police admitted they were
wrong.”
Yesterday, Cambridgeshire
Constabulary confirmed it
had been present at a civil
case hearing.
In June 2017 the force told
the News: “We have received a
‘letter before action’ which is
currently under review and it
would be inappropriate to
Tommy Robinson films
comment further at this
the confrontation with
time.”
Ali Dawah
FOR VIDEO VISIT Photo:keith jones
CAMBRIDGE-NEWS.CO.UK