In a bizarre and revealing incident, British far-right activist Tommy Robinson, notorious for his Islamophobic rhetoric, attempted to pose as a Muslim to gain entry into Al-Aqsa Mosque — Islam’s third-holiest sanctuary.
Videos circulating on social media show Robinson in Jerusalem, accompanied by Avi Yemini, an Australian-Israeli far-right commentator, and Ridwan Aydemir, a Turkish-born content creator and former Muslim.
The footage captures Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — standing in the courtyard of Al-Aqsa with extremist Israeli rabbi Yehuda Glick, who appeared to brief him before the attempt. When Robinson approached the mosque gate, a Palestinian security guard asked him for identification. Robinson waved dismissively and claimed, “Yes, I’m Muslim.”
To verify his claim, the guard requested that Robinson recite Surah Al-Fātiḥah, the opening chapter of the Qur’an. Robinson failed. His companion Aydemir intervened and recited the Surah fluently in Arabic. The guard allowed Aydemir to enter but refused Robinson’s entry, explaining calmly that the mosque is open only to Muslims. Robinson protested, insisting that Aydemir was his “sheikh,” but the guard asked them to stop filming and leave the gate.
Another video shows a guard clarifying: “For political reasons, non-Muslims are not allowed to enter.” Robinson and his team later presented the incident as “being banned from Al-Aqsa,” attempting to frame it as a violation of “freedom of movement.”
However, the Islamic Waqf Administration, which manages the mosque compound, confirmed that entry for non-Muslims is restricted and worship is reserved exclusively for Muslims — a long-standing policy meant to protect the sanctity of the site under occupation.
Provocation Disguised as a Visit
During his trip to the occupied Palestinian territories, Robinson met with several far-right Israeli figures, voiced support for Israel’s assaults on Gaza, and used anti-Arab language. His visit sparked outrage among British Muslims and even some Jewish groups who saw it as an extremist stunt aimed at inflaming tensions.
In another video shared online, Robinson is seen touring a settlement funded by the Israeli occupation government. The spokesperson for the Jewish community in Hebron, Yishai Fleisher, told him that “the British have a special place in hell for what they did to the Jewish people.”
Robinson — who often brands himself as a “British nationalist” — sat silently, accepting the insult, replying only that “Britons love Israel.”
The scene exposed his hypocrisy and moral confusion: a man who claims to defend British heritage, yet kneels before an occupation built on ethnic cleansing and apartheid.
A Criminal Record Wrapped in Islamophobia
Now in his forties, Tommy Robinson has an extensive criminal record, including convictions for assaulting a police officer, drug possession, fraud, harassment, and contempt of court, as well as entering the United States on a forged passport, according to The Irish Times.
He was imprisoned in 2018 for contempt of court, then again in 2024 for defaming a refugee, before being released in May 2025 — backed financially by billionaire Elon Musk.
Robinson is due back in court in October 2026 after refusing to hand over his phone’s identification code to police under the 2020 Terrorism Act, which gives British authorities expanded surveillance powers.
Far-Right Support and Declining Influence
While Robinson once drew large crowds — between 20,000 and 30,000 participants at a rally in July 2024, according to the anti-racism group Hope Not Hate — his influence has been waning as his anti-Muslim theatrics increasingly expose his ignorance and extremism.
The incident at Al-Aqsa was meant as another provocation — yet it ended up doing the opposite: a single verse of the Qur’an, Surah Al-Fātiḥah, exposed the deception of a man whose politics are built on hatred and lies.
In the end, the gatekeepers of Al-Aqsa, through wisdom and faith, reminded the world that truth cannot be imitated, nor can hypocrisy hide behind the name of Islam.
