Gardaí monitoring activity of far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson

James Cox

Gardaí are monitoring the activity of British far-right campaigner Tommy Robinson, who has said he is in Dublin to "document" anti-immigration protests.

Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, who now calls himself Tommy Robinson, has criminal convictions for assaulting an off duty police officer, stalking, fraud and drug possession.

Robinson has been in regular contact with Irish anti-immigration activists in recent weeks according to The Irish Times.

He calls himself a journalist, and said he is visiting Dublin to make a documentary about anti-refugee protests.

Robinson was a co-founder of the Islamophobic English Defence League in 2009.

He was also a member of the British National Party among other groups with fascist and white nationalist links.

Ciaran O'Connor, senior analyst at the Institute of Strategic Dialogue, said there are good reasons to be concerned about Robinson's presence here.

Mr O'Connor told Newstalk: "He claims he is here to make a documentary.

"That likely means whatever he produces will not be neutral or objective but is likely to be something that targets or demonises asylum seekers... that promotes false or misleading claims about supposed asylum seeker criminality, or fosters fear and distrust against migrants. "