‘Batshit’ preacher sacked by his own church for nazi salute

NOTE: This article was published on 30 January 2025Well, Calvin Robinson, the batshit and increasingly self-important preacher, thought he was being so funny, and so clever, when he topped off a speech to the far-right Pro-Life Summit in Washington DC by mimicking Elon Musk’s nazi salute. He left the stage to wild applause, grinning smugly.…

NOTE: This article was published on 30 January 2025
Calvin Robinson, the batshit and increasingly self-important preacher, has been sacked by the Anglican Catholic Church
Calvin Robinson, the batshit and increasingly self-important preacher, has been sacked by the Anglican Catholic Church

Well, Calvin Robinson, the batshit and increasingly self-important preacher, thought he was being so funny, and so clever, when he topped off a speech to the far-right Pro-Life Summit in Washington DC by mimicking Elon Musk’s nazi salute. He left the stage to wild applause, grinning smugly.

Unfortunately for him, there were others who didn’t find it at all amusing, including his own church, the Anglican Catholic Church (ACC), which promptly sacked him.

The ACC has been Robinson’s church since September when he decamped from the UK to take charge of an ACC parish in West Michigan, whose congregation believed he had been selected for them by God. He said if he stayed in Britain he feared being assassinated by some “some anonymous Mohammedan” or arrested by Keir Starmer’s ‘satanic’ government, and so he jetted off to a rather cosy, and lucrative, billet on the Great Lakes.

His license in this Church has been revoked. He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC

Anglican Catholic Church (ACC) report

But the ACC authorities have obviously had enough of his far-right preening and self-promotion. They issued a statement which did not mince its words, revoking his license as a minister in the Church and stating unequivocally, that even if intended as a joke, such actions are unacceptable because they “…trivialise the horror of the Holocaust, and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity”.

The full statement

At approximately 3:00 pm today (1/29) members of the College of Bishops of the ACC were made aware of a post made on X showing the end of a speech made by Calvin Robinson at the National Pro-Life Summit in Washington, DC. In it, he closed his comments with a gesture that many have interpreted as a pro-Nazi salute.

While we cannot say what was in Mr. Robinson’s heart when he did this, his action appears to have been an attempt to curry favor with certain elements of the American political right by provoking its opposition.

Mr. Robinson had been warned that online trolling and other such actions (whether in service of the left or right) are incompatible with a priestly vocation and was told to desist. Clearly, he has not, and as such, his license in this Church has been revoked. He is no longer serving as a priest in the ACC.

Furthermore, we understand that this is not just an administrative matter. The Holocaust was an episode of unspeakable horror, enacted by a regime of evil men. We condemn Nazi ideology and anti-Semitism in all its forms. And we believe that those who mimic the Nazi salute, even as a joke or an attempt to troll their opponents, trivialise the horror of the Holocaust and diminish the sacrifice of those who fought against its perpetrators. Such actions are harmful, divisive, and contrary to the tenets of Christian charity.

Finally, we pray that God will give us grace to lay aside our unhappy divisions, and we commend our nation and ourselves to his Almighty protection.

Get yer coat

Where this leaves Robinson’s US ministry remains to be seen. Without a licence from the Church, it is difficult to see how he can remain in his West Michigan post. But we will have to await developments.

The downside, of course, if that if he loses his US parish he will almost certainly be forced to return to the UK where he is close chums with the likes of Tommy Robinson and Katy Hopkins, and remains a UKIP NEC member and the party’s ‘Lead Spokesman on Everything’.

From this prospect we can only say, Oh Lord, deliver us…


Paul Holborow

Paul Holborow

In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.

Paul Holborow
Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

Peter Hain

Peter Hain, founder of the ANL and friend of Searchlight

British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.

Peter Hain
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Paul Nowak

Paul Nowak

The essence of trade unionism is solidarity, fairness and equality – for all workers – from all backgrounds. That’s why our fight against the far-right has always been part of our movement’s DNA. Searchlight is an incredibly important resource for trade unions and members to understand the contemporary tactics of far-right activity. Their work and intelligence gathering over the years have been incredibly insightful for the work we do, and how we fight the scourge of fascism.

Paul Nowak
TUC General Secretary

Professor Colin Holmes

Professor Colin Holmes
Everyone who wants to understand contemporary racism and its historical background needs to read Searchlight.
Professor Colin Holmes
University of Sheffield

Alf Dubs

Lord Alf Dubs

Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.

Alf Dubs
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Nick Davies

Nick Davies

To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.

Nick Davies
Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

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