Tommy Robinson To Launch Pegida UK, A British Chapter Of The German Anti-Muslim Movement

Pegida Is Coming To Britain With A Familiar Face
|

Tommy Robinson is to launch a UK chapter of Pegida, the German anti-immigration party. The 33-year-old, formerly head of the English Defence League, told The Independent on Thursday he will help launch the UK offshoot in the New Year.

Robinson famously quit the EDL three years ago, disassociating himself from his former brethren while maintaining a strong stance against "islamification of the UK.”

Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is to “advise" the leadership of the new group, which will campaign for a moratorium on Muslim immigration to the UK, as well as place a ban on the building of mosques.

“I’ve agreed to talk at the launch and give advice,” he told the newspaper. “It’s new to them, but I have lots of experience.” Questioned about the politics of the group, Robinson claimed they would be “moderate.”

“Opposing Islam is not far-right, it doesn’t make you an extremist and it doesn’t make you a bigot,” he said. “It’s decent not to want Sharia law. The truth in 2015 has been deemed hatred. It’s not, it’s honesty.”

Translated from German, Pegida is an acronym for 'Patriotic Europeans against the Islamisation of the west.’ The group has gained notoriety in its homeland for holding mass demonstrations against radicalised religion that often spills over into anti-immigrant sentiment.

At an anniversary rally in October, speaker Akif Pirinçci bemoaned refugees, calling Germany a "Muslim garbage dump."

However, speaking to Channel 4 News on Thursday, Robinson, who has attended several Pegida rallies across Europe, said the events were suitable for families, noting the contrast between Pegida marches and the booze-fuelled events of the EDL.

Britain First reacts to the Kos refugee crisis
Britain First reacts to the Kos refugee crisis(01 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Another great place messed up by foreigners." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(02 of22)
Open Image Modal
"They are SCUM, stay and fight for your country, not RUN." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(03 of22)
Open Image Modal
"This is just temporary ... They will end up in England or Sweden living off benefits." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(04 of22)
Open Image Modal
"This isn't asylum! Notice the majority of migrants are men of fighting age! They don't look malnourished or badly treated! It's an invasion army!" (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(05 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Push them back into the sea!" (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(06 of22)
Open Image Modal
"We need to follow Russia's example and make all Muslim's unwelcome in the west. They are evil people who need driving out of our lands by force. God hates Muslims. They are a wicked people. It's time for their extinction." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(07 of22)
Open Image Modal
"What is this country coming to? It's a joke. Our nans and granddads who were in the war would be turning in their graves." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(08 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Just deport them." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(09 of22)
Open Image Modal
"These vermin turn EVERYWHERE into a hellhole, not just Kos!" (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(10 of22)
Open Image Modal
"To me this is a universal problem for the Western Nations, but our mostly socialist leaders fail to see the problem." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(11 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Wow it's like being in Chatham, Kent. Lived there all my life I think I've emigrated to another country when I come out my front door there's so many immigrants." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(12 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Why would anyone WANT to go to Greece ????What have they given to the world ? Apart from "Zorba the Greek", and Millions of UNWANTED Muslims ????Oh, and Kebabs, that NO ONE in their right mind would even THINK of eating, unless they were drunk !!!They are doing their best, to get kicked out of the E.U. and are not even doing much of a job of THAT !!!!!!" (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(13 of22)
Open Image Modal
"This is going to happen in all EU countries... We have to to get out of the EU now !!!" (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(14 of22)
Open Image Modal
"This is disgusting. Give them no food, no water and no rights then send the lot of them packing back on a boat to where they came from." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(15 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Take & put them in boats & send them back to where they come from, countries all over Europe are not responsible for them, leaving trash & garbage all them washing their clothes in the ocean, when people swim in it & no country owes them anything." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(16 of22)
Open Image Modal
"What the world needs is another Crusade, to take out Islam off every Islamic country and take over as Christians Jews And Buddhists.islam, as a Cult must cease to exist, they commit one terrorist act, We Destroy 20 Mosques ( with them inside of course)., the treshlohld is 1/20 , but we can always increase it to 1/1000." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(17 of22)
Open Image Modal
"The world has gone mad, they come for money nothing else, before the EU and the benefits system we had no issues, do not be conned these are not refugees, these are economic migrants after all they can get, return them to Africa." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(18 of22)
Open Image Modal
"I'd be more worried how many of them are Isis scum ready to destroy humanity..." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(19 of22)
Open Image Modal
"They could've picked a bigger island but no they use their no sense and go for one of the smallest." (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(20 of22)
Open Image Modal
"I wouldn't want to spend my hard earned money only to be confronted with hoards of sad poor people. How long will they remain sitting on the pavements? When their Kos handouts run out and they see what they perceive to be wealthy tourists what will they do? there doesn't seem to be any control over the migrants movements and they appear to be everywhere, its very bad for business!" (credit:AP Photo/Petros Giannakouris)
(21 of22)
Open Image Modal
"Is anyone scared? As I am, every European country will become Islamic." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)
(22 of22)
Open Image Modal
"I feel very sorry for the locals, it's turned into a living hell. Foreigners will stop going, which is terribly sad. The whole of Europe will be looking like this very soon." (credit:ANGELOS TZORTZINIS/AFP/Getty Images)