Fox News host Brian Kilmeade told the leader of a violent nationalist hate group that targets British Muslims, “We got your back” and “it’s great what you’re doing.”
Kilmeade offered his endorsement to the English Defence League (EDL) and co-founder Tommy Robinson, who appeared as a guest on the June 10 edition of Kilmeade’s Fox News Radio program. Kilmeade’s support followed an interview in which Robinson railed against the immigration of Muslims into the United Kingdom, and warned of Muslims “forcefully putting us under Sharia” Law and planning a “silent takeover” to “implement Sharia” in his country and across the world.
Robinson (whose real name is Stephen Lennon) also said he didn’t regret his recent conviction for using a false identity document to enter the United States to attend an anti-Islam event with anti-Islam blogger Pamela Geller.
Despite the group’s extreme ideology and violent nature, Kilmeade gave Robinson an enthusiastic and unchallenged platform for nearly 15 minutes to rail against Muslims. Among Robinson’s claims:
- “Sit and work out the demographics. Look at how our country’s changed. I think, every ten years the Islamic community doubles … Where does it stop?”
- “In the World War, we need America’s help. Now in this country, we need America’s support because we need to take our country back.”
- “In thirty years’ time, they will be forcefully putting us under Sharia. There will be a violent struggle across this country, complete civil breakdown and disorder.”
- “I don’t regret doing it at all.” – Robinson on entering the United States with improper documentation.
- “That’s the tip of the iceberg. You see, the violent jihadists – now they are a real problem and they do [inaudible] what they’re doing. But this silent jihad that’s going on. This silent takeover and planning to take over and implement Sharia, they’re the ones I’m terrified of because they’re actually sitting around tables of government. They’re actually in positions of power. They’ve infiltrated major positions across the whole entire government. And I say don’t listen to what we’re saying. Listen to what they’re saying. They’re openly telling us they want to take over the country. They’re openly committing treason. They’re openly Islamifying areas, and it has to end, and that’s what we’re saying.
At the conclusion of the interview, Kilmeade told Robinson: “Well Tommy, we got your back, and we’ll definitely look to keep in touch and I really think it’s a very – it’s great what you’re doing.” After the interview, Kilmeade tweeted: “Englishdefenseleague.org [sic] check out Tommy Robinson and his mission to rid brit ian [sic] of muslim extremists @foxandfriends.”
Media Matters has previously noted that Fox News’ The O’Reilly Factor also gave Robinson a platform to push his views. Host Bill O’Reilly noted reports calling the EDL “fascist” and “racist,” and described the group’s views as militant, but didn’t cover the group’s history of violent actions.