Man held by anti-terror police after rally by neo-Nazi National Action group

A 21-year-old man has been arrested by counter-terror police after a far-right rally by a banned neo-Nazi group.

The National Action group, which was outlawed as a terrorist organisation in December, wants to fight the "disease" of "international Jewry" and admires Adolf Hitler.

It is understood to have grown out of splinter groups of other far-right organisations and its membership numbers are not known publicly.

The man was arrested for two public order offences after allegedly using threatening, abusive and insulting words likely to stir up racial hatred.

One charge relates to remarks made on social media and the other to words spoken at an event in Blackpool in March last year, organised by the North West Infidels, another right-wing group.

At the event, supporters cheered as Jews were described as "parasites" and Hitler was praised amid claims Britain "took the wrong side" in the Second World War.

A police spokeswoman said: "Officers from the North West Counter Terrorism Unit and Lancashire Constabulary have today, Wednesday 11 January 2017, arrested a 21-year-old man from Blackpool on suspicion of public order offences.

"The man was arrested on suspicion of two offences contrary to Section 18 of the Public Order Act 1986 - using threatening/abusive/insulting words or behaviour or displaying written material with intent/likely to stir up racial hatred.

"The arrest relates to comments made at an event in Blackpool in March 2016 and to comments made on social media.

"The man will be interviewed at a police station in Lancashire during the course of the day."

Support or membership of National Action was outlawed by Home Secretary Amber Rudd under the Terrorism Act last month, making it the first far-right movement to be prohibited as a terror group.

Hate crimes can be reported to police on 101, or by the True Vision website (www.report-it.org.uk).