Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, widely known as Tommy Robinson, was asked to leave a Hawksmoor restaurant in London after staff and diners reportedly felt uneasy about his presence.
The 42-year-old far-right activist, known for his anti-Islam stance, claimed he and his group of four were asked to leave the steakhouse near Piccadilly Circus on Thursday. Robinson later accused the restaurant of discriminating against him because of his political views.
Hawksmoor did not mention Robinson by name in its public statement but confirmed that a party was asked to leave after concerns were raised by staff and guests. The restaurant emphasized that the decision was not politically motivated and that it had no interest in engaging in a public debate.
Footage posted on social media by someone in Robinson’s group showed a staff member explaining that employees felt "uncomfortable serving" them. The employee also cited a "duty of care" and offered to waive the bill for their drinks while apologizing for the situation.
Robinson responded on X (formerly Twitter), saying: "Restaurants and businesses should not be political. We weren't loud, aggressive or inappropriate, so this can only be my politics."
Following the incident, Tripadvisor suspended reviews for some Hawksmoor locations due to a surge in feedback unrelated to actual dining experiences. This came after Robinson urged his followers to boycott the restaurant and post reviews online.
Hawksmoor, which operates several locations across the UK and internationally, reiterated its desire to welcome guests from all backgrounds but acknowledged its team had been dealing with a significant and troubling backlash following the incident.
The controversy coincided with Robinson pleading not guilty to charges of harassing two Daily Mail journalists earlier the same day. Robinson is the founder of the English Defence League, a far-right group known for its anti-Islam protests. He stepped down as its leader in 2013. Photo by Shayan Barjesteh van Waalwijk van Doorn, Wikimedia commons.