Tommy Robinson and the truth about two-tier policing

Tommy Robinson, a self-invented English ‘patriot’, was free to attend yesterday’s St George’s Day event in central London which descended into ugly clashes between participants and police. Earlier in the day, he had been released from court after successfully arguing that a police dispersal order that resulted in his arrest and charge in November last year was unlawfully applied to him due to a paperwork blunder. He says he will now sue the Metropolitan police.

Robinson has nearly half a million followers on social media. They have, by now, fully absorbed the narrative that when it comes to protest, Britain has a two-tier system of policing. This is a dangerous accusation that is gaining traction, whatever the criminal justice boss class decide we should think. But is it justified?

Yesterday’s police operation was proportionate to the circumstances. Robust action was taken against a minority of attendees who were clearly intent on engineering confrontation.