has today
(19 April) moved to outlaw the white supremacist group,
Atomwaffen Division and list National Socialist Order as
its alias.
The Home Secretary has asked Parliament to proscribe
Atomwaffen Division, which is a predominantly US-based
white supremacist group that celebrates and promotes the
use of violence in order to bring about a fascist, white
ethno-state by means of a ‘race war’.
This will make it a criminal offence to be a member of, or
invite support for the group, with those found guilty
facing up to 10 years in prison. Through the
Counter-Terrorism and Sentencing Bill, which will shortly
receive Royal Assent, we are increasing this to 14 years.
Atomwaffen Division claimed it had disbanded in March 2020
following pressure from US law enforcement agencies, but in
July 2020, National Socialist Order announced itself online
as its ‘successor’. The government assesses that it is the
same group operating under a different name but adhering to
the same twisted ideology as it did when it was called
Atomwaffen Division.
Home Secretary said:
Vile and racist white supremacist groups like this exist
to spread hate, sow division and advocate the use of
violence to further their sick ideologies.
I will do all I can to protect young and vulnerable
people from being radicalised which is why I am taking
action to proscribe this dangerous group.
The terrorist group has inspired other loosely affiliated
groups abroad, including Feuerkrieg Division, which the UK
proscribed as a terrorist organisation in July 2020.
Proscribing Atomwaffen Division and listing National
Socialist Order as its alias will support the police in
their work to disrupt the threat that these white
supremacist groups continue to pose to the UK’s national
security, including by supporting efforts to remove online
content associated with the group.
The decision to proscribe the group follows a meeting of
the Proscription Review Group, which brings together
representatives from operational partners, the intelligence
community and other experts from across government to
assess the risk posed by groups which may be considered for
proscription.
The proscription order laid in Parliament today will now be
debated and, subject to approval, will come into force
later this week.
