Ex-English Defence League Chief Fined After Controversial Demo

Former English Defence League chief Stephen Lennon - aka Tommy Robinson - has been convicted of flouting strict police conditions when the right-wing group marched on the East London Mosque last year.

The Metropolitan Police's decision to impose conditions "for fear of serious public disorder" was upheld by a High Court judge and the 600-strong EDL group were stopped 600 metres from the mosque.

At Hammersmith Magistrates Court on yesterday Lennon, 31, of Luton, denied, but was convicted of failing to comply with a condition at Old Gate Street, Whitechapel on September 7, namely failing to limit public speaking to thirty minutes.

He was also convicted of inciting a public assembly participant, namely fellow EDL demonstrators, to speak in excess of thirty minutes and inciting others to remain and listen.

Lennon was fined £100 on each count and ordered to pay £80 costs and a £20 victim surcharge.

The EDL had challenged the police decision to stop them short of the mosque before a High Court judge, but failed and ended up being held near Aldgate East station, where they were confronted by anti-fascist demonstrators.

They had marched across Tower Bridge, intending to gather in Tower Hamlets, which has a large muslim population chanting and singing: "I'm English 'til I die," and: "England."

Similar nationalist groups from Germany, Poland and Finland joined the march and police made ten arrests, including Lennon and two other suspects for possession of a bladed weapon and a firework.

EDL's motivation for the march, they claimed, was to demonstrate against Tower Hamlets being governed by Sharia Law.