Elon Musk has called on Britain to release far-right activist Tommy Robinson in a series of social media posts, which has also reignited his online feud with British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
The owner of social platform X, who is a key figure in President-elect Trump's inner circle, said on thursday morning British authorities said they should “free Tommy Robinson”.
Mr Robinson, who founded the far-right British Defense League, was sentenced to 18 months in prison in October 2024 for breaching a court order barring him from repeating defamation claims against Syrian refugees.
Musk also reposted a message claiming Robinson was a “political prisoner.”
British police accused Robinson's British Defense League of helping spark the incident. a week of riots Social media users have been victimized across England and Northern Ireland. incorrectly identified a suspect As an immigrant and a Muslim, he goes on a stabbing rampage. of Actual suspect in the attackThe British-born 17-year-old was responsible for the murders of three girls in the seaside community of Southport.
In subsequent posts, Mr Musk pointed to domestic grooming scandals that broke in 2013 and also criticized Mr Starmer's past as UK prosecutor general. He added that “only” Nigel Farage's Reform Party can “save” Britain.
“In the UK, serious crimes such as rape require an investigation by the Crown Prosecution Service. [CPS] Authorize police to charge suspects. “Who was at the head of the CPS when rape gangs were allowed to exploit young girls without facing justice? Keir Starmer, 2008-2013,” Musk wrote about X.
Mr Starmer served as Director of Public Prosecutions in 2013. requested an overhaul How sexual abuse is investigated in the UK
The Hill has contacted Downing Street and the Home Office for comment.
In recent months, Mr. Musk has stepped up his criticism of Britain and Mr. Starmer's Labor government, calling for new elections in the country. But Mr Starmer, who won in a landslide just six months ago, does not have to hold an election until 2029.
The Prime Minister's Office also took issue with Musk's comments in August last year about the riots in northern England, pushing back on his comments that “civil war is inevitable.''
Musk called Britain a “tyrannical police state” as the country faces violent riots. He also said in X that the UK's “current government” was responsible for blocking the flow of cash into the UK.
Musk was spotted with Farage at the president-elect's Mar-a-Lago mansion in December. Farage told reporters that Musk may donate to his Reform Britain party, and British media reports said the amount could be up to $100 million.
But the UK isn't the only place billionaires have been criticizing on social media platforms lately.
Tesla's CEO said on Monday that the billionaire is trying to influence February's general election after recently penning an op-ed supporting the far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party. He has also been criticized by the German government, which has accused him of trying to give away money.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
