Far right group Scottish Dawn banned under UK terror laws

A Scottish far right group has been banned under a clampdown on extremist groups in the wake of the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.

By The Newsroom Thursday, 28th September 2017, 2:09 pm Updated Friday, 29th September 2017, 5:15 pm

The action against Scottish Dawn and NS131 is being taken under UK terror law.

Both groups are aliases of neo-Nazi organisation National Action which was classified as a terrorist organisation by Home Secretary Amber Rudd.

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It became the first domestic group to be outlawed under the legislation.

Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered in the lead up to the EU referendum. Picture: PA

National Action members provoked controversy after they openly celebrated Ms Cox’s murder in June 2016 at the hands of Scottish-born far right extremist Thomas Mair.

ITN News revealed earlier this month that Scottish Dawn was now facing a ban.

On its website, the group describes itself as “a patriotic society for the defence of our race and nation active across Scotland”.

Scottish Dawn first came to prominance when they demonstrated against the housing of refugees in Scotland in March.

Labour MP Jo Cox was murdered in the lead up to the EU referendum. Picture: PA

The group has been under investigation since the demonstration in Alloa where its nembers waved yellow flags bearing a black symbol called the ‘life rune’ - which also appeared in Nazi propaganda.

The ban means anyone supporting or attempting to join the group would face criminal charges.

The Head of Police Scotland’s Organised Crime and Counter Terrorism Unit, Detective Chief Superintendent Gerry McLean, told ITN previously: “National Action is the first domestic extremist group to have been prescribed by the Home Sectreary and there is no place in Scotland for these types of extreme right-wing views.