So ... Tommy Robinson. I understand where he comes from completely ... but ... like many "crusaders" you can go too far. As I see it he had an accumulation of offences which meant the "slammer" for him. 13 months seems disproportionate but if he is a good boy he will be out after six and a half and as a "known" face he is unlikely to be killed/injured in prison.
As for the case he is protesting about - there is a very real danger that (if he "skews" the case by highlighting details or inciting a view that defendants are already guilty) there is a very real chance that the defence will cry "foul" and there will be a mistrial and they might get off scot-free.
Let's be clear, any mention of Robinson on the news or in new media will have "poison the well" labels such as "far-right", "racist", "Islamaphobic", such as those used by the press covering the Downing Street protest on Saturday.
The gagging order isn't necessarily against Robinson's arrest, but rather against the court case for the grooming gang, outside which he was live streaming. The argument FOR the court case having a gagging order is to protect the witnesses from intimidation. Read into that what you will...
However, Robinson asked the police officers in attendance if what he was doing, live streaming from the public pavement BEFORE the sentencing hearing (ie. the court case had already been heard by a judge and the defendants, all of whom, I believe, were out on police bail, were returning to hear what the verdict/sentencing would be), was ok or if he couldn't do it. And, of course, he was told he could do it by the police; public pavement, no restriction on filming or live streaming from there.
He was careful not to get on camera anyone not associated with the case who were there as witnesses/observers.
He also notes during the live stream that the trial judge was watching him from the window, and there are screenshots that seem to back this up.
A few minutes later, 6 police officers arrive to arrest him on suspicion of causing a breach of the peace.
The breach of the peace edict is a very tricky one legally as you can be arrest on SUSPICION of causing one, or even the pre-crime-esque charge of conspiring to cause one (ie. you actually haven't, but you may do in the future). People who planned peaceful protests before Prince William's wedding were arrested a couple of days before the event in case they went ahead with their protest and somehow caused a breach of the peace.
It's also an edict that can be rolled out and applied to just about anything; standing in a public place where your presence may not be wanted by third parties. Handing out leaflets criticising an ideology. Etc etc. Breach of the peace is used often by the police/state to stop such behaviour.
Now the very word "suspicion" surely implies evidence then needs to be gathered to establish whether the suspicion is based on fact. However, the very quick turn around of his arrest and sentencing suggests, to me, that this didn't happen.
Of course, he'd already been given a 3 month suspended sentence for his actions where he confronted men convicted of being part of a grooming gang outside a court. So where the 13 months comes from is strange, as surely it would be, upon the delivery of evidence, a 3-month sentence.
On the case he was reporting on, from what I've read there wasn't a jury that could be influenced by media coverage, the hearing was in front of a judge only. However, who can tell if this is accurate as there's zero press reporting on it. If, though, it was a judge and a judge only, how could covering the case be seen as potentially skewing the verdict?
To me, Islam is the holy cow religion. It cannot be criticised. It cannot be held to account. Within Islam there are clear teachings to hold no law other than Shariah, and there have been loud, vocal protests by Muslims in the UK against UK law, featuring banners that say things like "the only law we obey is Shariah". So we have a situation in the UK where groups of Islamic followers are breaking the law, harming children and the press either won't or can't cover these cases. The police have their hands tied by politician's (such as the Labour MP who liked and retweet a comment that the victims of the Rotherham rape gangs should "shut their mouths for the sake of diversity) and Mayors (like Khan in London).
So-called "Islamaphobia" is put in the same category as homophobia, racism and sexism when in reality Islam is a fucking choice...
So yes, Robinson put himself in a dodgy situation, but when you retrace the circumstances that led to his arrest, he can't really be to blame, but rather the fear of offending Muslims, Muslim intimidation and the liberal/leftwing policies that protect them.