Hope Not Hate says it has been overwhelmed by the response to an appeal to crowdfund possible legal action against Nigel Farage after he said the organisation, which combats political militancy, was itself extremist.

Farage attracted significant criticism after saying the widower of the murdered Labour MP Jo Cox was tainted by extremism for supporting Hope Not Hate, which Farage called “violent and undemocratic”.

Hope Not Hate, which campaigns mainly against rightwing extremism but also on areas such as militant Islamism, wrote to Farage warning him to withdraw the comments and apologise or face legal action.

In a statement it said there had been no official response from Farage or his team, while an appeal on its website to pay for the possible court case had received a huge response.

“We have been overwhelmed by the level of support we have received: thousands have donated to Hope Not Hate in response to our appeal,” a spokesman said.



Farage’s team said they had no comment about whether he might withdraw the remarks, which were made on LBC radio on Tuesday.

The controversy began when Farage sent a tweet on Tuesday morning blaming the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, over the truck attack on a Christmas market in Berlin. “Terrible news from Berlin but no surprise,” he wrote. “Events like these will be the Merkel legacy.”



This prompted a reply from Brendan Cox, whose wife was murdered by a far-right terrorist in June. He accused Farage of “blaming politicians for the actions of extremists”, adding: “That’s a slippery slope Nigel.”

@Nigel_Farage blaming politicians for the actions of extremists? That's a slippery slope Nigel — Brendan Cox (@MrBrendanCox) December 20, 2016

Asked about the exchange on LBC soon afterwards, Farage accused Cox of links to extremism via Hope Not Hate, one of three charities supported by a foundation set up in the name of his late wife.

Farage said: “Well, of course, he would know more about extremists than me, Mr Cox. He backs organisations like Hope Not Hate, who masquerade as being lovely and peaceful, but actually pursue violent and undemocratic means.”



Farage added: “And I’m sorry, Mr Cox, but it is time people started to take responsibility for what’s happened.”

The comment prompted an immediate response from Hope Not Hate, which called it a “political smear” and demanded that Farage apologise.

The organisation then set up a page on its website for people to contribute money to any legal case, headlined: “Help us take Nigel Farage to court.”

Hope Not Hate is an offshoot of Searchlight, a long-established anti-fascist magazine and campaign, from which it split in 2011. While the bulk of its campaigning has targeted the likes of the British National party (BNP) and the anti-Islam English Defence League (EDL), Hope Not Hate also covers areas such as Islamist extremism.

It is split into two parts: a charitable arm that funds community projects and research, and a company that carries out more overtly political campaigns. The charitable trust has previously received government funding to run community work in areas where the EDL was active. Money from the Jo Cox Foundation will benefit both parts of the organisation.

Farage’s animosity against the group dates back to Hope Not Hate’s decision in 2013 to monitor Ukip’s policies and extreme elements attracted to the party, although it has never classified Ukip itself as far right.

Later that year, Ukip’s conference passed a motion barring members from supporting Hope Not Hate. Farage has since blamed the group for disrupting his events, something Hope Not Hate rejects.

Hope Not Hate has also used leaflets and other efforts to try to influence the vote in some Ukip target areas, including the South Thanet seat which Farage failed to win in the 2015 general election.