Tommy Robinson's Irish Appearance Ends in Kilkenny Riot

Two individuals were arrested following a riot at an influencer boxing event in Kilkenny, Ireland, which began around midnight on Saturday.

The disorder erupted at the Hub events venue during a promotion organized by Harrison Sullivan, known online as HSTikkyTokky, and Ed Matthews. Their company, Unhinged Events, hosted the gathering that drew a crowd of streamers, fitness personalities, and internet celebrities. The event was livestreamed on the Kick platform to approximately 1.8 million viewers.

Tommy Robinson, a 43-year-old activist currently on bail, was a ringside guest at the event. He was found guilty in October of harassing two journalists, a case that resulted in a court appearance on December 16 for sentencing. Robinson, whose legal name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, sat with supporters at the commentator’s desk before a match involving Muslim social media figure Mo Deen, whose real name is Mohammad Kubba.

Tensions rose when Robinson, holding a copy of his book The Grooming Gang Cover-Up, told Matthews that “Muslims have been raping our country for 100 years.” He cited statistics regarding Muslim men and sexual offences, remarks that offended many attendees. After Kubba won his scheduled fight, he climbed out of the ring and jumped on Robinson, throwing punches before security separated the two.

The incident escalated into a full riot after Sullivan demanded that Kubba, who had left the venue, return to the ring to face Robinson in an unscheduled bareknuckle fight. Security escorted a reluctant Kubba back into the arena, which was already filled with Robinson’s supporters. Sullivan repeatedly urged the crowd to “let Tommy fight him” while allowing Robinson’s entourage into the ring. Robinson threw a copy of his book at Kubba, sparking a fight that spread to the crowd. Attendees threw chairs and barricades while others fled for safety.

Garda Síochána confirmed that a male in his 30s was assaulted and taken to St Luke’s hospital in Kilkenny. A second male in his 20s was arrested and detained at a police station. A teenage boy was also arrested and charged with violent disorder, with a court date set for Sunday. The riot was broken up by event security and police officers who had been called to the venue earlier in the night.

In a statement on social media on Sunday, Sullivan acknowledged he erred by not hiring additional security. He described the night as a “great night of entertainment” that had gone “super viral.” His company’s Instagram account posted footage of the riot with the caption: “The Area started a RIOT.” Kubba told reporters he was told to start a fight with Robinson but declined to identify who gave him the instruction. Robinson had previously stated he would “batter” Kubba if the fight started, though he claimed to like the influencer.

The Ministry of Justice and Metropolitan police could not confirm whether Robinson’s bail terms prohibited international travel. Outside the venue in the early hours of Sunday, a crowd of predominantly teenage boys and young men filmed the aftermath. One attendee noted that such scenes were unusual for Kilkenny city, which has a population of 27,000.