The British government is considering proscribing the English Defence League (EDL) as a terrorist organization, the country’s deputy prime minister has confirmed.
In an interview after violent clashes outside a mosque in Southport, Angela Rayner indicated that the Home Secretary would be looking into the matter of proscribing the EDL as a terrorist organization.
“We have laws and we have proscribed groups and we do look at that and it is reviewed regularly,” Rayner told LBC.
“So I’m sure that that will be something that the Home Secretary will be looking at as part of the normal course of what we do and the intelligence that we have.”
“But I think the bigger issue is about taking on the minority of people that have got thuggish behaviour, that actually that’s not our British values.”
The clashes took place after an unnamed 17-year-old went on a stabbing spree in which three children have died and many more have suffered serious injuries.
Police have so far not confirmed a motive for the crime, although they do not believe it is terror related.
The English Defense League was founded by the activist Tommy Robinson back in 2009 to combat the growing Islamization of British society. However, he is no longer involved with the organization.
Over the weekend, Robinson was himself detained under Britain’s anti-terrorism laws after he held a massive rally in Trafalgar Square, where he also held a screening of his latest film Silenced.
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