'Tommy Robinson' - The Chilling Fascist Reality Behind The 'Patriotic' Mask...

Behind the mask...

After an alleged assault on a pensioner and fleeing abroad - only to come back and be arrested days later - Stephen Yaxley-Lennon's angry rant warned of “barbarians coming here raping our daughters,” a remark that lifts the last veil from the ugly face of his intent.

Once skilled at coded language, Yaxley-Lennon built a following with lines such as “I’m not against Muslims, just against extremism” and “I’m not racist, I just care about British values.” Over time, those lines served as a screen for a message that stoked fear of outsiders. Now, each appearance and each Facebook Live peels away another layer of restraint.

In early speeches, coded language was a mask to conceal the hate. He framed his cause as concern for crime rates and cultural change. He claimed a focus on values rather than race or religion. Listeners heard talk of border control, law and order, and national pride. Beneath that surface lay a drive to single out one group for blame.

The infamous 'milkshake' video - back when 'Tommy' was just a laughing stock...

On video, he accused “every single British Muslim” of escaping punishment for killing and maiming UK citizens. He called Somalis “backward barbarians,” then apologised and played down the comments. At that stage, critics used the clips to expose him. His followers dismissed them, saying he just wanted to stop rape and accusing critics of siding with “the rapists.”

As his base grew, the code gave way to open calls. Phrases once whispered as hints now ring without filter. The claim “I’m not racist” shifted from shield to echo, unable to mask calls for removal of civil rights and expulsion of whole communities. References to “barbarians” and “rape” follow a script seen before.

That script has appeared in other careers. In the 1920s, a German leader began with appeals to wounded national pride and economic pain, blamed one group for the nation’s woes, then moved to calls for violence and removal of rights. Under his rule, mass deportation and genocide followed. In Italy, a leader spoke of order and renewal before sending squads to attack opponents. In the United States, an agitator spoke of heritage before forming a party that embraced symbols from a movement that once declared a sovereign state for its own race.

Each case follows a path: step one, speak to broad concerns; step two, build a base; step three, drop the veil. At that point, the speaker shows the kernel of intent behind every coded phrase.

Yaxley-Lennon now stands at step three. His rhetoric leaves no room for doubt about his targets. He no longer poses claims as questions or warnings. He issues declarations. He no longer hints at action; he evokes a past of mob action and street assault.

Interestingly for a declared 'patriot', he does most of his ranting from abroad - where he seems also to flee at the first sign of trouble - travelling on his Irish passport...

What began as coded appeals has ended in threats. Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s mask has fallen, and the pattern he follows matches those of figures who moved from speech to action. The only remaining question is whether public awareness will hold him to account or whether an alternative can emerge to unite frustrations, welcome those who seek a better life, and bridge the gap between fear and understanding.