Tommy Robinson arrested by Canadian police after speaking at Calgary free speech event

Immediately after speaking at an event organized by Rebel News in Calgary on Monday evening, Tommy Robinson was ambushed by police and arrested. The group of uniformed and plain-clothed officers placed him in the back of a cop car as the British activist's supporters watched in awe.

Robinson was detained on an outstanding immigration warrant, but was later released from custody. He said that he was informed that he must remain in southern Alberta and cannot leave Canada during the legal proceedings. 

Footage of the arrest showed Robinson being handcuffed and led by numerous officers into the vehicle as he smiled and laughed in disbelief. "Absolutely insane," he said.

Speaking with Rebel News' Ezra Levant after being released, Robinson outlined all the conditions that had been imposed on him, noting that he had to turn in his passport and will not be able to take part in the two other events organized by the independent media outlet in Edmonton and Toronto.

"The sole purpose of this is to stop me from having discussions and talking in cities I was meant to be in," he told Levant.

Rebel News has set up a fundraiser to help Robinson obtain proper legal representation.

While in the car, Robinson managed to record the conversation with officers via his phone. One of them told him that a director with the Canada Border Services Agency had signed the arrest warrant.

"Innit mad how tough you get with immigration on the wrong people," Robinson replied. "It's mental, innit? You're acting like absolute spineless cowards as a country letting every bloody goddamn f*cking 'Abdul' and whoever into your country, you don't know nothing about them, their criminal histories or anything or their ideologies, and then you turn up [to arrest] me giving a talk at a seminar."

One of the officers said it was "ironic" that he was talking about not knowing about migrants' criminal history because, he alleged, Robinson's boss, who Robinson said filled out his electronic visa application, allegedly failed to truthfully answer whether Robinson "had been arrested, charged, or convicted of any crime anywhere in the world."

Robinson did not deny that the error had been made, and instead reiterated his condemnation of the Canadian government for targeting him while countless migrants enter the country illegally every day, often times without a passport.

"Wake up Canadians," Jordan Peterson wrote following Robinson's arrest. "The police are now being used directly as political agents of the state. I don't know who ordered this but it's not acceptable. You idiot lefties might be pleased about this in this situation. But don't be thinking that once established this won't be used against you."

Robinson was set to meet with Peterson, however the terms of his release made that difficult. After hearing of the activists' situation, the clinical psychologist asked whether they should meet in Red Deer instead, which is located in southern Alberta.

"Podcast whenever you're ready," Peterson added. Now if necessary. Enough of this." He told Robinson he and his wife, Tammy, might just have to make the trip out to Alberta "in a couple days."