Ukrainian Embassy In London Protests Inclusion Of National Symbol In British Extremist Guide

The Ukrainian Embassy in Britain has publicly called on police officials to remove the trident, Ukraine’s national symbol and state coat of arms, from a counterterrorism guide that was distributed to police officers, teachers, and medical staff last year.

“Placing the Trident…constitutional national symbol & Coat of Arms of #Ukraine, in Extremism Guide produced by @TerrorismPolice for UK teachers & medical staff is beyond outrageous,” the Ukrainian Embassy in Britain tweeted on January 19. “No explanations acceptable. We demand Trident to be removed from Guide with official apologies.”

The statement was in reference to a 24-page guide that British authorities produced while giving anti-extremism briefings last year to help front-line officers discern signs and symbols.

London daily The Guardian first reported on the guide’s contents.

The police document, according to the newspaper, shows a Nazi swastika in one section and nonviolent groups such as Greenpeace in another.

Metropolitan Police Deputy Assistance Commissioner Dean Haydon told the BBC that the visual aid was produced in order to help police “identify and understand signs and symbols” so they know the difference between them.

In a statement, he said that many groups listed in the guide “are not of counterterrorism interest.”

Based on reporting by The Guardian, BBC, UNIAN, and Interfax