How to stare down far-right elements? UK’s Saffiyah Khan shows the way

Saffiyah Khan stepped up to defend a woman who was wearing a headscarf and was reportedly surrounded by men.

Pictures of Saffiyah Khan, a young woman from Birmingham, staring down a leader of the far-right English Defence League (EDL) during a march on Saturday are being circulated on the internet, with many hailing the Khan as their “hero”.

Saffiyah Khan sized up EDL leader Ian Crossland at the march in Birmingham. (Picture courtesy: Twitter)

Khan was at a march in Birmingham to oppose the EDL and said she stepped forward when she saw around 25 men surround a woman in a headscarf.

She told the BBC that the woman “was 360 surrounded... I stepped forward and identified myself as someone who supported her and contradicted them”. Pictures show Khan nonchalantly sizing up Ian Crossland, an EDL leader.

Twitter was absolutely delighted with her reaction.

But there’s little doubt about widespread admiration for Saffiyah: