A letter claiming to be from jailed citizen journalist and street organiser Tommy Robinson and apparently written from his prison cell expresses thanks to his supporters for turning out for him in their thousands around the world.

Robinson, real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, was given a 13-month prison sentence for contempt of court in May after an arrest, prosecution, hearing, and sentencing process which was concluded in a matter of hours.

He had been live-streaming about a grooming gang trial subject outside Leeds Crown Court which had been subject to reporting restrictions, although the court dates, names of the defendants, and charges against them had already been published by the mainstream media.

The letter was written in prison and posted to his family, Breitbart London understands. The address to his supporters has been distributed by former Breitbart London Editor Raheem Kassam, who has been helping to organise some of the worldwide #FreeTommy events.

“So here we go again!”, Mr Robinson wrote.

“It’s Sunday night 10/6/18, the news of the amazing scenes yesterday in London are just filtering their way to me.”

Robinson said some of the “negatives” of his prison experience were still hard, describing a letter from his wife about how his young son was coping poorly with the situation, and how this “broke my heart”.

He added, however, that considering the experience of military servicemen on operational duty was helping to give him some perspective: “I’m away from my family for a short duration. Members of our Armed Forces’ children must go through this all the time which is why I admire the sacrifices they make, past and present.”

‘Islam Means Submission. Will You Submit, Or Resist?’ – Batten, Waters, Kassam at #FreeTommy Rally https://t.co/FW7nbAu6Ja — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 10, 2018

“When I was leading the [English Defence League] I was sentenced to 10 months in prison in 2012, I was separated from everyone for my own protection and kept on solitary confinement for 22 weeks. I believe this was because the Government feared what may happen on the streets if I was murdered in prison,” he recalled.

“Lee Rigby was beheaded in 2013 and our Government witnessed that a soldier can be beheaded and no one will really react. I was then sent to prison in 2014 for 18 months. I was literally fed to the wolves. I was lucky to escape alive, fighting my way through violent beatings at the hands of Muslim inmates.

“The Government knew I could be killed and no one would really do anything. It was a sad moment for myself, realising that if I’m murdered my death wouldn’t make much difference or change. I also realised my family would not be looked after and would go on to struggle for safety and stability.

“OH WHAT A CHANGE 4 YEARS MAKES!” he exclaimed.

“In the first few days here I began to hear that thousands are protesting outside 10 Downing Street. This was within 24 hours of my abduction by the state. I was told ‘your petition has 100,000’, then ‘hey its now at 300,000’ and then half a million. I heard people were climbing the gates of Downing Street.”

London: Massive Crowds Gather to Hear Geert Wilders Demand Tommy Robinson’s Release https://t.co/wHvBI24Pqa — Breitbart London (@BreitbartLondon) June 9, 2018

Robinson said he was “in danger in my first days in this prison, housed with Muslim prisoners” but UKIP peer Lord Pearson of Rannoch’s threat to mount a private prosecution against Home Secretary Sajid Javid if he came to harm saved him.

“To hear that 20-30 thousand people travelled to London this weekend to stand in solidarity with me is an amazing feeling. I truly am gobsmacked at the reaction from the public. I feel so loved!! Loved and appreciated,” he wrote.

“I receive a bag of letters and emails every day. I read every one. I’m so grateful, I want to say a thank you to every single person who has supported me.

“I understand how difficult it is to speak out. I understand that many people would have faced a backlash from friends, or even from work for speaking out on my behalf and I am truly grateful to people for standing with me.”

https://t.co/Dl9NLhCxrd great exclusive from my colleague @oliver_lane on the current situation with #TommyRobinson .

The British govt could easily choose to put him under house arrest but instead seemingly put his life in danger. For what reason? — Chris Tomlinson (@TomlinsonCJ) June 15, 2018

“Our battle is not as simple as against flesh and blood, but we battle a system! A corrupt system. Sitting here gives you so much time to think. We can no longer be looking from the outside in. We must involve our voice and our movement into politics. I have so many plans on what I want to do when I get out,” he wrote. “To hear that Geert Wilders travelled and spoke in London is so exciting for me. When I started my activism I looked to Geert and the life changing decisions he made to speak out against Islam. He has been an inspiration to me.” He concluded: “The establishment thought this would close the book. Instead the public have just turned the page to continue the next chapter. “I love and thank you all.”

Follow Jack Montgomery on Twitter: @JackBMontgomery