Sadiq Khan, the mayor of London, has unveiled a fresh £875,000 commitment to help local initiatives combat extremism, hate, intolerance, and radicalisation across the city.
The Mayor’s Shared Endeavour Fund, now in its fourth year, will aid 25 projects throughout London perform workshops and educational activities that will enable 30,000 Londoners of all ages to confront racist and bigoted viewpoints in their neighbourhoods.
According to the most recent Home Office statistics, more young people are becoming radicalised by extreme ideologies.
In 2022, police forces nationwide arrested 32 children and teenagers under the age of 17 for terrorist offences, which was a record-high number.
In the past year alone, 166 counterterrorism arrests have been made across the UK, and eight late-stage terror acts have been prevented by police and security services.
Violent extremism continues to be one of the largest concerns facing many cities around the world.
More than 800 investigations are being conducted by Counter Terrorism Policing and MI5, with the majority of them taking place in London.
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.”
READ MORE : ONS report reveals London’s worst boroughs for knife crime