The election of Donald Trump has brought anti-Muslim prejudice into the mainstream, a leading campaign group has warned.
Hope Not Hate made the claim in a report on the rise of so-called “counter-jihad” right-wing activists who they say are have had a large influence on Mr Trump and some of his top team.
It is claimed the sentiment has already manifested itself in the new President’s immigration clampdown on seven Muslim-majority countries, a move that caused uproar around the world.
Mr Trump has also appointed people like Michael Flynn as national security adviser, a man who once tweeted that “fear of Muslims is rational”.
It is claimed theories about Muslims “invading” the West which until recently were only found in the darker reaches of the internet could now affect White House policy.
The effects could also be felt in the UK and Europe, they say, with the threat of the far-right in upcoming elections in France, the Netherlands and Germany.
The report states: “Trump’s election and his subsequent selection of Cabinet officials and advisers has accelerated a process of mainstreaming of anti-Muslim sentiment that has been happening for some years.
“The result is that prominent anti-Muslim activists are now at the very centre of power and decision making in America.”
Report author Joe Mulhall told the Standard things like Mr Trump’s claim during the election campaign of “no go” areas for police in London showed the influence of anti-Muslim conspiracy theories on his thinking.
He said: “This idea there’s an invasion to Islamify Europe has no truth to it. But it creates an anti-Muslim atmosphere in places like Britain too.
“Now it’s not just small, irrelevant blogs saying this in some corner of the Internet.
“It’s a journey from obscure notions which then came out on to the streets with things like the EDL and have now made their way into the White House.”
His report concludes a combination with the traditional far-right and so-called "alt-right" poses a huge threat
The report states: “These groups pose a fundamental threat to the liberal progressive consensus and have the ability to halt, and possibly even reverse, the advancement towards more open, tolerant and equal societies.
“The rise of this broad revolt threatens the safety and security of all ethnic minority communities, especially Muslims, and provides a genuine threat to multiculturalism and undermines societal cohesion.”
The Standard has approached the White House for a comment.
