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Home / Entertainment

Lily Allen attacked on Twitter for defending refugees

Daily Mail
3 Jan, 2017 11:30 PM3 mins to read

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The British singer has become a vocal advocate for migrant rights and sexual assault. Photo/AP

The British singer has become a vocal advocate for migrant rights and sexual assault. Photo/AP

Lily Allen has claimed she has "only even been sexually assaulted by white males" during a heated debate on Twitter.

The singer - who last year revealed a stalker had broken into her house and followed her for years - claimed on Twitter that the only attacks she had experienced were by white men, the Daily Mail reports.

The 31-year-old made the remark during an exchange with far-right activist Tommy Robinson on migration and Asian grooming gangs.

The row began when the singer questioned whether the man who killed 39 people in a Turkish nightclub was a 'migrant'.

Robinson, 34 - who leads anti-Islamic group Pegida UK after setting up the English Defence League in 2009 - quickly replied and dubbed the singer a 'f****** idiot', before adding that she was 'virtue signalling'.

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Allen and Robinson then continued to spar, with Robinson claiming he lived in a 'safe house because of Islam'.

He then asked her if she had ever met or spoken to the victims of Muslim grooming gangs, adding: 'You don't need to go Calais to hear horror stories.'

The singer then replied: 'I've only ever been sexually assaulted by white males so I feel slightly biased.'

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The comment sparked diverse opinions, with Allen's followers praising her for taking a stand while Robinson's accused her of stereotyping.

Allen responded that she was "trying to point out that sexual deviants and murderers operate within every culture".

She later added: "People need to realise the reality of how white males and their attitudes towards our laws continue to threaten our values and communities."

It is not the first time Allen has faced a clash of opinions after taking a political stand. Last year, she was reduced to tears during a BBC interview with 13-year-old Shamsher Sherin, who has since arrived in Britain from The Jungle migrant camp.

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The singer had filmed the segment during a visit to the Jungle for a BBC show.

Allen said: 'It just seems that at three different intervals in this young boy's life, the English in particular have put you in danger.'

She later went further by comparing British foreign policy to the evils of ISIS, writing on Twitter: 'Isis kill innocent people by the way, they cause horrific pain and destruction across the world, so do we. I'm sorry for that.'

Her comments sparked a barrage of criticism, but Allen said she felt 'empowered' by the strong feelings her thoughts provoked.

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