UK government planning to treat extreme misogyny as terrorism

Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, has ordered a review of Britain’s counter-extremism strategy to urgently address gaps in the Government’s stance, The Sunday Telegraph reported.

It will look at tackling violence against women and girls in the same way as Islamist and far-Right extremism, amid fears that current Home Office guidance is too narrow, the newspaper reported.

The government is planning to take the initiative amid warnings that misogynistic influencers are trying to radicalise teenage boys online.

Cooper was quoted as saying by the newspaper: “For too long, Governments have failed to address the rise in extremism, both online and on our streets, and we’ve seen the number of young people radicalised online grow. Hateful incitement of all kinds fractures and frays the very fabric of our communities and our democracy.”

There are several extremism categories ranked by the Home Office as an area of “concern”, including Islamist, extreme Right-wing, animal rights, environmental and Northern Ireland related extremism, the British newspaper reported.

Earlier this month, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer said he laid plans to crack down on a “tiny, mindless minority in our society” who have rioted and attacked police in the wake of the Southport stabbings.

Several violent protests were held in England in recent times in the wake of the  Southport knife attack.