British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak announced today, Friday, that Islamist extremists and the far-right are deliberately undermining Britain's multi-ethnic democracy, and called for a stricter security approach to protests in light of the increasing hate speech and crime. British lawmakers received funding for new security measures this week after some faced threats for expressing their support for Israel in its war in Gaza.
In a speech outside his office on Downing Street, Sunak expressed his fear of the deliberate undermining of "our great achievement in building the most successful multi-ethnic and multi-religious democracy." He stated that while people have the right to protest and advocate for the protection of civil life in Gaza, they cannot use this as justification for supporting Hamas, which is a banned organization.
He continued, "Islamist extremists and the far-right bolster and encourage one another... they are two sides of the same extremist coin." Sunak indicated that individuals in the country on visas could have their right to remain in Britain revoked if they "choose to spread hatred." Supporting Israel's right to respond to Hamas, Sunak also remarked that the election of veteran leftist George Galloway to a parliamentary seat has "exceeded the level of concern" and accused him of ignoring the attack on October 7.
In response to Sunak's comments in an interview with Channel 5, Galloway stated that he was personally attacked in 2014. He added, "I am against extremism and violence like anyone else, and perhaps more so given my personal experience."
