Tommy Robinson arrested outside Leeds Crown Court while live streaming and jailed the same day without trial
The rule of law is fragile, and relies on the self-restraint of the majority. In a just society, the majority obey the law because they believe it represents universal values—moral absolutes. They obey the law not for fear of punishment, but for fear of the self-contempt that comes from doing wrong.
The arrest of Tommy Robinson is a hammer-blow to the fragile base of people’s respect for British law. The reality that he could be grabbed off the street and thrown into a dangerous jail—in a matter of hours—is deeply shocking.