Tommy Robinson has been arrested after trying to “livestream some quick comments” from a group of men currently on trial at Canterbury Crown Court.
The former leader of the EDL claims he was charged for “attempted journalism”.
Bedfordshire police and the law say otherwise.
A fundraising campaign, petition and webpage have been set up to fight what Robinson and his supporters see as an outrageous case of suppression of police victimisation, free speech and the insidious influence of Islam in the UK.
Robinson posted a video to his Facebook account, saying: “It’s 4.32 and the police are at my house, and I’m being arrested for going to a court case in Canterbury and trying to video the Muslim paedophiles.”
His colleague, Caolan Robertson, wrote on The Rebel Media website for which they both work:
Tommy and I went to court to cover the story — and to ask the accused men some questions. That’s what real journalists are supposed to do.
Incredibly, when court officers saw Tommy, they actively worked with the accused men to sneak them out of the court through another door, so we couldn’t film them!
Just whose side are the police on?
It added:
... that’s where journalists report on court cases all the time. Tommy didn’t do anything unusual.
Real journalists also undergo extensive legal training, one of the most important parts of which surrounds the issue of contempt of court.
Filming and recording of courts and court precincts is illegal in the UK under section 41 of the Criminal Justice Act 1925 and the Contempt of Court Act.
This is a law designed to protect the integrity of a trial by ensuring that juries are not exposed to information that could influence their decision other than that which is disclosed in court.
Bedfordshire Police said in a statement: “On the morning of Wednesday May 10, 2017 officers attended an address in Luton, Bedfordshire, and arrested a 34-year-old man for contempt of court.
“The arrest is in relation to an incident at Canterbury Crown Court on Monday 8 May 2017.”
Robinson has been contacted for comment.