The Home Secretary will “be looking at” whether the English Defence League should be proscribed under terrorism laws following a riot outside a mosque in Southport, the Deputy Prime Minister suggested on Wednesday.
Angela Rayner said “thuggish behaviour” has “absolutely no place in our democracy” after violent scenes in the Merseyside town, which is mourning the deaths of three young girls in a knife attack at a dance class.
Rioters clashed with police on Tuesday night when a demonstration, believed to have been organised by members of the far-right English Defence League (EDL), descended into chaos.
The group had gathered outside a mosque after misinformation spread on social media suggested the 17-year-old arrested in connection with the knife attack was Muslim.
At least 39 officers were hurt and a police vehicle was set on fire, while shops were looted.
"We have laws and we have proscribed groups and we do look at that and it is reviewed regularly,” Ms Rayner told LBC.
“So I'm sure that that will be something that the Home Secretary will be looking at as part of the normal course of what we do and the intelligence that we have.
"But I think the bigger issue is about taking on the minority of people that have got thuggish behaviour, that actually that's not our British values."
Ms Rayner added: "The inciting of violence and violence on the street has absolutely no place in our democracy, and we have to crack down on those that perpetuate violence and spread it within our communities."
Pointing to crises in the NHS and housing, she said: "It's an absolute failure of politics to turn around and say 'it's because these people are here or whatever."
The three children who died in the attack have been named as Bebe King, six, Elsie Dot Stancombe, seven, and Alice Dasilva Aguiar, nine.
Five other children and two adults remain in a critical condition, the Merseyside police have said.
Police have been given more time to question the 17-year-old arrested on suspicion of the killings. Detectives have also urged the public not to engage in speculation about the suspect's identity and stated that a name circulating online is incorrect.
Southport mosque chairman Ibrahim Hussein described being trapped in the building while violence erupted outside as "terrifying" but said the supportive community response has been "humbling".Residents have helped clean the area near the mosque of broken glass and debris following the protest.
Mr Hussein said: "I would like to thank the police very, very, very much indeed.
"I'm very sorry for the causalities that the police took. They took a very bad beating.
"I would love to make it better but there's nothing I can do about it.
"But I would like to thank them for their support because at one point we thought (the rioters) were coming in and they were going to burn the place down."
