Hate preachers with radical Islamist views will now be barred from entering the United Kingdom under new plans being drafted by the government amidst a “shocking increase” in extremist activity.
The British officials will identify the most dangerous extremists from countries such as Pakistan, Afghanistan and Indonesia and add them to visa warning lists. Under the new plans, the ones on the list will automatically be denied entry into the UK, according to a report by ‘The Daily Telegraph’.
Additionally, ministers also believe they may strengthen efforts to prevent those considered “non-conducive to the public good” from entering the UK by utilizing already-existing national security capabilities.
This can entail putting people on the blacklist if they have a history of inciting violence or intimidation against democratic institutions or preaching racism.
The move comes after British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak delivered a dynamic speech from 10 Downing Street in London warning that extremists posed a threat to the UK’s democratic and multi-faith values.
“We will also act to prevent people entering this country whose aim is to undermine its values,” Sunak said in his speech on Friday.
“The Home Secretary has instructed that if those here on visas choose to spew hate on protests or seek to intimidate people we will remove their right to be here,” he said.
He then also appealed to the demonstrators staging protests against the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip to be sure that their actions were not commandeered by extremists.
“The time has now come for us all to stand together to combat the forces of division and beat this poison. We must face down the extremists who would tear us apart,” he said, warning that “Islamist extremists and the far right feed off and embolden each other”.
An official review by Lord Walney, the government’s independent adviser on political violence and disruption, implores ministers to address the increasing threats posed by Left-wing fringe organizations that have sided with Islamist extremists during pro-Palestine demonstrations held across the United Kingdom, as per ‘The Daily Telegraph’ report.
“One of the conclusions of my review is to look at and understand the threat from anti-democratic far-Left groups, alongside that posed by Islamists and the far right… You are seeing an unholy alliance between far-Left groups and some of the Islamist extremism that has been seen on the marches,” he told the newspaper.
Walney’s report is with the UK Home Office and will be published later this month.
“Extremism has no place in our society and we will not tolerate tactics that set out to intimidate, threaten or cause disruption to the law-abiding majority,” a Home Office spokesperson said.
“In recent months, we have also witnessed a small number of protestors display violent and hateful behaviour, and the police have our full support in tackling extremism and hate crime. We are considering the report’s recommendations extremely carefully and will respond in due course,” the spokesperson said.
(With inputs from agencies)
