Activist Tommy Robinson’s private and public Facebook accounts have been deleted, as has his Instagram account.
A statement from Facebook said the company strived to facilitate an environment for free speech, but that it was committed to taking action against any ideas and opinions which foster intimidation or exclusion in society.
It added: “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.”
Last year, the former English Defence League leader, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was banned from Twitter and online payment platform PayPal, both of which pointed to their rules on hate speech as reasons for the action.
Nick Lowles, chief executive of HOPE not hate, 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 today’s decision as well as Facebook’s continued actions in cleaning up their platform.”
Responding to the ban, Robinson told the Press Association: “This is in response to my expose documentary called Panadrama, which exposed the establishment working with Hope not Hate, working along with the media, in order to bring me down and destroy me.
“Now they have realised that that has not worked, they’re working with the tech giants to remove us completely – where is free speech? I’ve breached no laws of Facebook, everyone is going to know that I’ve breached no rules, what I’ve done is shown people the truth and that is what they are removing, the truth. People will still find me.
“People will be astonished by this censorship, especially witnessing it in response to my expose documentary.”
Robinson said he had not heard of his ban from Facebook, claiming the “corrupt media and the establishment” were trying “to silence any opposition to their globalist plans”.
He added: “When putting me in prison and trying to kill me hasn’t worked, when then trying to get mainstream documentaries to destroy my name with false allegations, that hasn’t worked. Now, the establishment, which has gone for the plan of completely removing me from the public sphere – people will fight against this censorship, people will not like this censorship.
“You’re not just censoring me, you’re censoring the public’s option of listening to what I have to say. This is a complete attack on free speech which is going on across the world.”
Ukip leader Gerard Batten, who hired Robinson as an adviser in November 2018, said his page had been closed for “BS reasons” and urged his Twitter followers to join Ukip.
“Simultaneously articles appear in the Guardian & Independent. The left’s establishment are closing ranks & counter attacking,” he added.