Right-wing extremism on the rise in Britain, authorities warn, citing role of social media in radicalisation
The government has pledged to act upstream, identifying young people sensitive to propaganda and developing ‘alternative speeches’ to those of extremists
Stung by an attack on Muslims in London a year ago, Britain is facing a growing threat from far-right extremists fuelled by online hate speech, forcing the authorities to react.
In a country hit by five attacks in the space of six months in 2017 that killed 36 people, “the biggest threat is from Islamist terrorism”, Home Secretary Sajid Javid said earlier this month.
But “extreme right-wing terrorism is also an increasing threat”, the interior minister added as he unveiled a new counterterror strategy.
A government report found that four attacks have been carried out in Britain over the past five years “by lone actors motivated to varying degrees by extreme right-wing ideologies”.
Among them was Darren Osborne, a 48-year-old from Cardiff, who a year ago on Tuesday drove his rented van into a group of Muslim worshippers near Finsbury Park Mosque in north London, killing one man and injuring 12 others.
