Why it matters: The outrage came as Elon Musk, the owner of X social network, stepped in to free far-right figure Tommy Robinson, who was imprisoned since October for protesting and ridiculing the British Court. Musk further advised the UK to imprison the Minister of the country instead, and the comments went viral in the British media as sheer meddling in British domestic affairs.
The big picture: Stephen Christopher Yaxley-Lennon, known as Tommy Robinson, is a well-known British racist figure who has repeatedly called for the expulsion of immigrants and Muslims from Britain and is also a supporter of the Israeli regime. Like some other British politicians, he sees immigrants and Muslims as the origin of the country's problems.
Context: Recent events on the eve of Trump's inauguration in the United States have heightened concerns in British society, especially among immigrants and Muslims, raising the possibility of internal disputes and conflicts. This summer, dozens of British cities experienced the largest riots in over a decade.
What they're saying: Following the controversy, the media reached out to like-minded individuals of Robinson. Nigel Farage, a controversial politician known for his anti-immigrant and anti-Muslim stance, as well as his strong opposition to the European Union, was one of them. Farage met with Elon Musk during a trip to the US to campaign for Trump in the 2024 presidential election, after which it was revealed that he received a financial contribution of $1 million from Musk.
The bottom line: Musk's support for Farage and, more recently, for Tommy Robinson, who is serving an 18-month prison sentence for contempt of court, prompted British media to ask Farage for his opinion on Musk's statements. Farage, who is preparing to win more seats for his party in the British House of Commons in the next election, tried to distance himself from Tommy Robinson, considering the prevailing public sentiment against him.
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