"For years now, we have lived with a full-frontal assault on free speech. A full-frontal assault on people who think, who through thick and thin and sometimes with rough edges have sought to defend the freedoms our forefathers fought alongside one another and died for. That's why when I first heard of the case of Tommy Robinson, I could not stay silent," Gosar said, speaking at a "Free Tommy Robinson" rally in London over the weekend.
"What do we want? We want Tommy out!" the Arizona congressman said, speaking before a crowd of 6,000-8,000 people protesting Robinson's treatment. Robinson, whose real name is Stephen Yaxley Lennon, is the co-founder of the English Defense League, a group which has been known to carry out violent anti-Islamic extremism and anti-immigrant demonstrations.
Touting Americans' First Amendment right to free speech, Gosar told the crowd, "What you are doing here today is effectively a precursor to a campaign on your own First Amendment."
"I'm sure there are many in those communities who are just as disgusted as we are, and embarrassed that these men have lived amongst them for so long. So firstly, I want to say to these people: come, stand with us, get out here and speak out," Gosar added.
Earlier, Sam Brownback, the Trump administration's ambassador on religious freedom, was reported to have lobbied London to look into Robinson's case and warned that Washington may publicly call out the British government if his treatment in prison isn't improved.
Robinson has received support from the UK Independence Party, Dutch right-wing politician Geert Wilders, alt-right journalists, and the Middle East Forum, a US conservative think tank whose stated mission includes the protection of anti-Islamist activists.
An online petition for Robinson's release has gathered over 600,000 signatures. Supporters have staged several rallies to free him.