UK |

UK police charge two teenagers with terrorism for recent riots

August 16, 2024
Counter protesters gather in Birmingham ahead of anti-immigration groups planning to target dozens of locations throughout the country following a week of rioting.

Two adolescents accused of alleged extreme right-wing terror offenses will appear in court in London on Friday, with police stating that they both face "extremely serious charges".

Metropolitan Police said on Thursday that an 18-year-old male and a 19-year-old woman were charged after a "proactive investigation" by the department's Counter Terrorism Command section.

Rex William Henry Clark, of Ilford, east London, was charged with preparing terrorist activities in violation of the 2006 Terrorism Act.

Police charged Sofija Vinogradova of Cheshunt, north of London, with preparation of terrorist acts and two counts of collection of information likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

Both are in custody and will appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.

Police said the investigation “is related to suspected extreme right-wing terrorism activity.”

“These are extremely serious charges, but I would urge the public not to speculate any further about this case at this time and allow the criminal justice process to run its course unimpeded,” said Commander Dominic Murphy, Head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command.

“I want to reassure the public that at this time we do not believe that there is any wider threat related to this investigation, although our investigation very much continues,” he added.

Far-right riots recently broke out across England and Northern Ireland following the stabbing to death of three girls at a dance class in Southport, north west England.

Murphy said that the investigation had not come about “as a consequence of the disorder across the country which occurred following the terrible events in Southport.”

Police initially arrested the woman on August 4 on suspicion of being in possession of a firearm.

She was bailed but arrested again on August 10. The 18-year-old man also arrested at the same address and both taken to a London police station.