A supporter of the English Defence League
A supporter of the English Defence League with a tattoo on his head stands by a replica hangman's noose and gallows during a protest outside the Old Bailey courthouse in London February 26, 2014. Two British Muslim converts were sentenced on Wednesday for hacking soldier Lee Rigby to death in broad daylight on a London street in a gruesome killing that horrified the nation and provoked an anti-Islamic backlash. Reuters/Toby Melville

British Prime Minister David Cameron has announced that anti-Muslim hate crimes will be considereds a separate category for crime in England and Wales.

The latest move brings Islamophobia on the same boat as anti-Semitic attacks against Jews, which has been considered a crime for some time. The decision is based on fresh data showing a rise in the number of religious hate crimes by 45 percent, while the number of racial hate crimes have increased by four percent.

Cameron called extremism a “poison” as he talked about building a national coalition to challenge such crimes. "I want British Muslims to know we will back them to stand against those who spread hate and to counter the narrative which says Muslims do not feel British,” Sky News quoted the British PM as saying. "And I want police to take more action against those who persecute others simply because of their religion."

British Home Secretary Theresa May also said there was no place for hate crimes in the country.

“Hate crime has no place in Britain and I am determined to make further progress to ensure we can eradicate this deplorable act,” she said. "Working with police to provide a breakdown in religious-based hate crime data will help forces to build community trust, target their resources and enable the public to hold them to account."

The new law has not been accepted well by some people. Tommy Robinson (@TRobinsonNewEra), who formed the English Defence League in 2009 due to his concerns over the “Islamic Extremist issue” in the UK, wrote on Twitter that he would be curious to know the guidelines about hate crimes against Islam. “The TRUTH cannot be hate speech,” he wrote.

A Libertarian Rebel (@A_Liberty_Rebel) also appeared to be unimpressed by the new law. “Get shunted from behind by lady driver in burka, get out to remonstrate, & it’ll be “anti-Muslim hate crime”. Just watch,” the user wrote.

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