LONDON — The founder of the far-right English Defense League admitted on Monday that he was on trial for breaching an order barring him from repeating defamatory allegations against a Syrian refugee.

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, better known as Tommy Robinson, admitted at Woolwich Crown Court that he breached the order on several occasions while giving interviews broadcast on YouTube, and in a video he aired during a rally in London’s Trafalgar Square in July, which was also posted. on X’s account.

Robinson, 41, who founded the nationalist and anti-Islamist EDL, is one of Britain’s most influential far-right figures. Thousands of people rallied behind him on Saturday in central London at a Unite the Kingdom rally he had planned to attend but was unable to attend as it was closed.

He was accused of inciting protests turned into a week of violent disorder in England and Northern Ireland this summer according to social media users falsely identified the suspect in a stabbing attack that killed three young girls in the seaside community of Southport as an immigrant and a Muslim.

Robinson has been jailed in the past for assault, contempt of court and mortgage fraud.

Robinson was banned from Twitter in 2018, but was allowed back after Elon Musk took over the social network and later renamed it X. He now has 1 million followers.