UK Unveils New Definition of Extremism

Britain unveiled a new definition of extremism on Thursday in response to the rise of hate crimes against Jews and Muslims since the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, followed by Israel's military campaign in Gaza. However, critics argue that the change threatens free speech. Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak warned that extremists and the far-right are deliberately undermining Britain's multicultural democracy. According to a Jewish organization, anti-Semitic incidents surged by 147% in 2023 to record levels since October 7. Meanwhile, the "Tell Mama" group, which monitors anti-Muslim incidents, reported that hate crimes against Muslims increased by 335% since then. Michael Gove, the local government minister who heads the department that issued the new definition of extremism, stated, "Our democracy and our values of inclusion and tolerance are under threat from extremist groups pushing our youth towards radicalization and leading to greater polarization." However, critics warned that the new definition could have counterproductive outcomes and may be used to silence dissenting voices against the government. Prominent figures, including Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and former ministers from the Conservative government, expressed concerns about this.