Tommy Robinson tried to flout his Twitter ban but it didn’t work out
It’s more than a year since Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – a.k.a. Tommy Robinson – was banned from Twitter for violating its terms of service by using hate speech and promoting bigotry, which is just about as on brand as it gets.
However, having thrown his hat into the ring as an independent European parliamentary candidate, a Twitter account supporting that campaign appeared and picked up a few thousand followers.
It appears that Stephen Yaxley-Lennon (aka Tommy Robinson) is using the European elections to circumvent his Twitter ban. The account is being promoted on Yaxley-Lennon's official Telegram account. pic.twitter.com/zjYPoh07KT
— TellMAMAUK (@TellMamaUK) April 25, 2019
It didn’t last very long.
https://twitter.com/MarkDiStef/status/1121837661348560900
https://twitter.com/LouiseRawAuthor/status/1121830703522635777
His ban was soon followed by a matching one for Carl Benjamin of UKIP, who had also presumed an electoral campaign trumped a previous ruling against him. Paul Joseph Watson, Breitbart’s runner-up for Best Regional Salesman of Brain Force Plus cleverness pills, rattled his sabre a little, from the safety of his mum’s basement.
Twitter now brazenly suspending accounts of European Parliament candidates. Election meddling. https://t.co/OBUPdJaJNc
— Paul Joseph Watson (@PrisonPlanet) April 26, 2019
Vice writer Tim Pool accused Twitter of interfering in a fair election.
Twitter is now directly interfering in political elections by banning only some candidates access to the platform.
In the US we have the Equal Time Rule for TV and radio, not sure what the UK has but this seems extremely dystopian.https://t.co/J2TpaRDNTp
— Tim Pool (@Timcast) April 26, 2019
Historian, Mike Stuchbery tried to clarify things for him.
https://twitter.com/MikeStuchbery_/status/1121883405917085698
Other people enjoyed a little schadenfreude.
They are taking the Twit out of @Twitter
— Pete K. 🇬🇧 🇪🇺 🇩🇪 (@petekitching) April 27, 2019
Right wing people not even aware of their own fascism be like pic.twitter.com/2LHdZFwehx
— Lady Lotte (@Ladylottebot) April 26, 2019
Ahahahahshahahaha
— Diane Cullimore (@DNicoros) April 26, 2019
Eobard Thawne pointed out a problem with a lot of the complaints.
Why is everyone saying that Twitter is interfering with elections? No one is guaranteed an account. No matter if they are running for or in office. There is no law anywhere that states this and I wouldn’t advocate that one exist.
— Eobard Thawne (@JuanJack1979) April 26, 2019
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We’re not sure what his chances are in the election, but this poster has been popping up around the area in which he’s standing.
Is right #Liverpool #TommyRobinson pic.twitter.com/wXn1IEpV2P
— Merseyside AFN (@MerseysideAfn) April 26, 2019
We can’t tell you what Stephen Yaxley-Lennon thinks of it all, either, because he’s banned.
H/T Indy100
