The Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan, has allocated £875,000 to support over 20 grassroots initiatives aimed at combating hate crime, intolerance, and extremism in the capital.
According to City Hall, the funds are targeted at addressing both far-right and Islamic extremism while equipping young people with skills to safely intervene in instances of hate crime and identify harmful misinformation on the internet.
Beneficiaries of this funding include the West Ham United Foundation, the Anne Frank Trust, and Tech Against Terrorism.
The Metropolitan Police reported that there were more than 21,200 hate crime incidents recorded in London over the past year, a decline from the previous period, yet the mayor’s office emphasized that these numbers remain “unacceptably high.”
Commander Dominic Murphy, who leads the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, expressed growing concerns about the recruitment of children and young adults into extremism and terrorism. He noted, “We are witnessing an unprecedented number of children in our casework, largely due to their online encounters, with extremist and terrorist organizations leveraging new technologies to target and radicalize the vulnerable.”
This funding initiative has received positive feedback from anti-racism organizations.
Majid Iqbal, CEO of the Islamophobia Response Unit, stated: “Every Londoner should feel safe and valued, free from hate and discrimination. This investment marks a positive development, and we are eager to collaborate with city partners to turn equality and justice into a tangible reality.”
The Anne Frank Trust indicated that it would allocate the funding towards workshops addressing antisemitism, Islamophobia, and prejudice.
Judy Silkoff, the trust’s acting co-chief executive, shared with the Jewish Chronicle, “Hate crime is on the rise throughout our city, and we are witnessing bias firsthand in classrooms. This funding will enable us to reach thousands more young Londoners through workshops focused on antisemitism, Islamophobia, and extreme misogyny.”
This funding announcement is part of Sir Sadiq’s £16 million Shared Endeavour Fund, established in 2020. To date, the fund has supported 115 projects aimed at confronting Islamophobia and various forms of hate crime.
Sir Sadiq remarked, “We find ourselves in increasingly polarized and uncertain times, and I understand the fear and anxiety that this generates within our communities. That’s why I am dedicated to collaborating closely with community members and law enforcement to ensure everyone in the capital feels safe and welcomed.”
