Tommy Robinson walks free from prison, says: ‘I have to say thank you to Elon Musk, because without Twitter…’

British far-right activist Tommy Robinson walked free on parole earlier today after a UK judge granted his early release from an 18-month sentence for contempt of court. Upon release, Robinson credited tech billionaire Elon Musk and the platform for enabling him to share his version of events. “I have to say a thank you to Elon Musk, because without X, if we didn't have X, everyone would just think I lied. No one would have got any other narrative," he said during a livestream to his followers. "These attempts at censorship, to silence, to cancel people, it hasn't worked. You've attempted to lock up the truth. And that truth has been echoed around the entire globe," he added.Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon was jailed for violating a court order prohibiting him from repeating libelous claims about a Syrian refugee, Jamal Hijazi. He was sent to jail in October 2024 for contempt of court after admitting that he broke a legal order. The 42-year-old had accused Hijazi of being a violent bully—allegations a court deemed false. He later featured the claims in a documentary titled Silenced, which he shared on X (formerly Twitter), owned by Elon Musk. Musk has previously expressed support for Robinson, saying he was jailed “for telling the truth” and calling for his release.Justice Jeremy Johnson granted Robinson’s early release, citing a “change in attitude” though with "absence of contrition or remorse.""He has given an assurance that he will comply with the injunction in the future, that he has no intention of breaching it again, and that he is aware of the consequences of what would happen if he breached the injunction again," the judge said.Robinson admitted in October to breaching the injunction by promoting the Silenced film and discussing the case in media interviews and public rallies. His previous videos about Hijazi reportedly led to widespread harassment of the boy, who dropped out of school and relocated with his family. A 2021 libel case awarded Hijazi £100,000 in damages.A repeat offender, Robinson has previously served time for assault, mortgage fraud, and contempt of court. He remains a polarizing figure in Britain’s far-right circles and retains a sizable following both in the UK and abroad. His legal team has assured that he would comply with the original court order moving forward.