Funding announced to tackle hate and extremism in London

The Mayor of London has announced £875,000 for communities to tackle hate and extremism.

The money will go towards community projects tackling extremism, hate, intolerance and radicalisation. 25 projects across the city will receive funding to run workshops and educational activities to empower 30,000 Londoners of all ages to challenge racist and hateful views in their communities.

In 2022, 32 children and teenagers under 17 were arrested for terror offences - the highest on record.

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Keeping Londoners safe is my top priority, and funding these vital community projects is empowering Londoners to stand up against all forms of hate, intolerance and extremism.

“A record number of young people were arrested for terrorism offences last year and deadly plots to harm Londoners continue to be foiled.

“With the rising cost of living crisis impacting so many who may be vulnerable and disaffected, it’s crucial the Government follow our lead and prioritise tackling the threat of terrorism and extremism in our communities and online so we can continue to build a safe London for everyone.”

One recipient is Arc Theatre, who use live theatre to improve empathy and understanding of how it feels to be on the receiving end of hate. The Chelsea Foundation delivers assemblies and supports teachers to facilitate discussions on racism, hate, intolerance and extremism.

Natalie Smith, education director at Arc Theatre, said: “We have received a grant from Mayor’s Shared Endeavour Fund for the past three years and the whole process has felt highly supportive.

“The Mayor’s support has allowed us to deliver high impact live theatre as the opening stimulus for a range of tried and tested practical interactive exercises to help embed important messages to assist pupils (and their teachers) to develop critical thinking skills in order to understand the dangers of extremism, how to challenge negative views and assumptions, and to build counter narratives to hateful ideas.”

Commander Dominic Murphy, head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “We welcome any opportunity to identify new ways to prevent people being drawn into violent extremism and terrorism. Our Prevent teams work with a range of partners, including local authorities, the Mayor’s Office, community groups and individuals and families in supporting those vulnerable to extremist views and steer them away from a path toward radicalisation. But none of this is possible without the support of the public and we remain committed to working closely with the people of London so that we can keep people safe from the threat of terrorism and violent extremism.”

Image by Pierre Blaché from Pixabay