Far-right activist Tommy Robinson poses with Dublin gang boss’s brother
Tommy Robinson #TommyRobinson
English far-right figurehead Tommy Robinson has been photographed posing with a convicted heroin dealer and brother of gang boss Derek ‘Dee Dee’ O’Driscoll.
Robinson, who has convictions for assault, drug possession and fraud, is visiting Ireland to document anti-immigration protests and a refugee solidarity rally held yesterday.
The 40-year-old, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, is a founder of the English Defence League, an Islamophobic organisation.
During his visit in recent days, Robinson posed with Anthony ‘Harpo’ O’Driscoll, of Croftwood Park in Ballyfermot, Dublin, who has criminal convictions including for heroin dealing.
O’Driscoll, a recovering alcoholic and heroin addict, is a career criminal with convictions going back to the age of 12 for offences including assault causing harm, possession of heroin, attempted burglary, damage to property, unlawful carriage, criminal damage, larceny, and road traffic offences.
‘Harpo’ is the brother of Ballyfermot crime boss ‘Dee Dee’ O’Driscoll, considered one of the most capital’s most eccentric and dangerous criminals.
In 2013, ‘Dee Dee’ O’Driscoll, also of Croftwood Park, was jailed for his role in a 2009 fight that became known as the “Ballyfermot Bloodbath”.
‘Dee Dee’, who threatened others with a crutch during the fight which left another man dead, was sentenced for two-and-a-half years for his involvement, with the final year suspended.
He once kept a female jaguar and another big cat in his garage and bribed a garda who had been involved in the Veronica Guerin murder.
As well as the animal cruelty and bribery convictions, ‘Dee Dee’ has been convicted of assault, larceny, dangerous driving and criminal damage.
He leads a gang in Ballyfermot and is considered “extremely volatile” by gardaí.
His brother Anthony, though not considered as dangerous as his brother by security sources, is a member of his gang.
Robinson recently said he has been drawn to Ireland by anti-immigration protests and he praised those who have organised them.
It is understood he travelled to Dublin last Wednesday and has spent time meeting
people in different parts of the city. He has also travelled to Co Cork.
In a message on social media, Robinson said he was here to “ask questions and put together a piece, to show what’s happening”.
He also denied he was invited here and said he travelled to Dublin as he is “a journalist” and had to “go where the news is”.
Some far-right agitators here have been embracing Robinson’s planned visit in recent days.
One prominent campaigner, Dee Wall, who has also been heavily involved in anti-vaccination demonstrations, last week said she would give Robinson “100 blessings to come here”.
Derek Blighe, leader of a Cork-based anti-immigration group called Ireland First, said that his British counterpart would be welcome in Ireland and said they were both fighting the same battle.
However many members of the Irish far right, who have a prominent online presence, have slammed the support for the arrival of Robinson, a self-confessed loyalist.
One prominent Irish far-right channel on the social media platform Telegram argued that Robinson’s presence in Ireland will only “smear those involved with the protests with accusations of being loyalist”.
On Thursday, a Sinn Féin TD said Robinson was not welcome amid fears that the far-right agitator could further inflame anti-immigration protests here.
Thomas Gould, TD for Cork north central, said all Robinson “cares about is spreading his disgusting hate”.
Specialist gardaí have been closely monitoring Robinson’s movements while in Ireland.
“He has made it quite easy for us in fairness. Posing for pictures with Harpo O’Driscoll, posting videos from a hotel and then travelling to Cork. He is certainly not trying to fly under our radar,” a source said.
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