London’s plan to fight rightwing extremism

London mayor Sadiq Khan believes that cities are the key to fighting rightwing extremism

During the European Union Capital City Mayors Summit, which was held in London, the mayor of the United Kingdom’s capital issued an appeal to his colleagues – and to citizens in general, to help improve life everywhere by fighting extremism. He stated his belief that cities in general are the “antidote” to many things that blight modern society – "We've seen a rise of nationalist, populist, nativist movements across Europe, indeed also in America. What's clear is that cities can be the antidote to this sort of extremism", he said.

Sadiq Khan believes that bridging the gap between communities in cities is what will resolve the problems of radicalization and extremism in our societies. He believes that local governments are responsible for the wellbeing of their citizens, especially regarding their housing and employment opportunities. If people are left homeless and without a job, there is no question that extremist thoughts might take root – and this is precisely where cities come in. By ensuring decent living standards for everyone and thus creating live and vibrant communities, many of the issues we face will begin to decline.

The mayor of London went even further, stating that the United Kingdom’s national strategy to tackling violent extremism is insufficient and must be improved on the local level. To that end, he announced that London will be investing £1 million into investigating and attempting to resolve parts of the rightwing extremism issue.