UK think tank: Far-right attacks not prioritized like ‘Islamist’ violence

Britain’s top defence and security think tank, the Royal United Services Institute (Rusi), has raised concerns about the way far-right attacks are perceived compared to “Islamist” violence, noting a troubling double standard in society’s response. Far-right violence is often dismissed as “thuggery” while similar acts by Islamist extremists are labeled as “terrorism.” Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s description of recent far-right riots as “thuggery” has been criticized by Rusi for downplaying the ideological aspects of the violence.

Rusi highlighted the inconsistency in the UK government’s response to extremism, which prioritizes the threat from Islamist extremism over far-right extremism. This approach has been endorsed by the head of the Commission for Countering Extremism, Robin Simcox, who previously worked for think tanks accused of Islamophobia. Labour, however, has distanced itself from this approach with calls for a more nuanced strategy to tackle extremism.

In light of the recent riots, Rusi has urged for a reevaluation of how far-right violence is addressed, advocating for cases to be classified as hate crimes or extremism, and for severe incidents to be treated as terrorism. Human rights advocates have cautioned against rushing new counter-terrorism laws, emphasizing the importance of addressing root causes of violence and protecting at-risk communities.