How to tell if your child has been radicalised by far right

With the recent explosion of far-right anti-immigrant violence across the UK, some parents may be wondering what their children are getting up to on their phones.

- MAYA OPPENHEIM

And such concerns may be heightened after children and teenagers were spotted in the recent far-right unrest that swept across the UK.

Meanwhile, exclusive polling from YouGov suggests around a quarter of young men agree with self-described misogynist Andrew Tate’s views on how women should be treated. And separate research from leading anti-fascism charity Hope not Hate found more young men in the UK have seen material from the influencer than have heard of former prime minister Rishi Sunak.

So, for parents who are worried about their child being groomed into the far right, or who want to know more about the telltale signs just in case, The Independent has spoken to experts about what to look out for.

Nigel Bromage, a reformed neo-Nazi who was involved in far-right groups for two decades but now runs a deradicalisation charity, explained that individuals who become involved in extremism can act in “many different ways” but cited some examples to look out for.

A key one is “isolating themselves from family and friends and having a new group of friends who no one [in their previous circle of family and friends] knows,” he said. Mr Bromage, director of Exit Hate Trust, which helps people who want to leave far-right groups, also warned to watch out for “talking as if from a scripted speech, spending more time online, unwillingness to discuss their views – they are always right”.

Children exhibiting a “sudden disrespectful attitude towards others” and “talking about us and them” as well as “increased levels of anger and frustration, in general, against the media, politicians, and different communities” were further signs.