Key facts
- Tommy Robinson defended Muslim student Aisha Khan-Aziz against a social media hate campaign.
- Khan-Aziz's comments during an Oxford Union debate were taken out of context and misrepresented.
- Prominent right-wing personalities accused Khan-Aziz of threatening Tommy Robinson.
- Robinson apologized for initially sharing critical posts and for 'point scoring' against Islam.
- Khan-Aziz argued for defending Western values and holding faith up to scrutiny during the debate.
Far-right figure Tommy Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, has defended and apologized to an Oxford University Muslim student, Aisha Khan-Aziz, after she was subjected to a significant online backlash. The controversy stemmed from a clip of an Oxford Union debate on June 17, where Khan-Aziz made a joke while introducing speakers, including Robinson.
During the debate, Khan-Aziz introduced Robinson by saying, "Stephen, there is a crowd outside rioting against you tonight, and without the protection and generosity of a Muslim Palestinian president and a largely South Asian executive committee, you would be quite literally cooked." This was intended to highlight the commitment of Muslim students to free speech, and was met with laughter and applause.
However, the clip was taken out of context and circulated widely on social media, leading prominent right-wing personalities in Britain and the US to accuse Khan-Aziz of threatening Robinson with violence. Figures such as actor Kevin Sorbo, comedian John Cleese, and YouTuber Ben Shapiro shared the clip and made critical remarks.
Robinson, who was debating on the proposition team that lost the motion, initially shared some of the critical posts. He later released videos stating that Khan-Aziz's words were misrepresented and not intended as a threat. He clarified that the protest outside was 'far-left, woke, white, liberal' and not a 'Muslim mob.' Robinson apologized to Khan-Aziz, admitting he 'point scored' by allowing the misrepresentation to gain momentum and calling it a 'wanker move.' He stated he had spoken to Khan-Aziz and described her as a 'lovely' and 'wonderful soul.'
During the debate, Khan-Aziz argued for defending Western values and the ability to hold one's faith up to scrutiny. Oxford Union president Arwa Elrayess also spoke about practicing free speech because of her Muslim faith.