London, April 19 (RHC)-- U.S. social media giant Facebook has banned several high-profile far-right groups in Britain from its platforms for "engaging in hate and violence" against others.

The California-based company said that Britain First, the English Defence League (EDL) and the British National Party, all known for their hate campaign against Muslims in the UK, will now be banned from posting on Facebook or Instagram.

“Individuals and organizations who spread hate, or attack or call for the exclusion of others on the basis of who they are, have no place on Facebook,” said the internet company in a statement.

It added that the groups along several other entities in the UK, including Knights Templar International, National Front and National Action, will be banned because they “proclaim a violent or hateful mission or are engaged in acts of hate or violence.”

Facebook and Instagram impose a permanent ban on top UK Islamophobe Tommy Robinson.  Leaders and spokespeople of the far-right groups will also be banned from Facebook platforms while posts expressing support for these figures and groups will also be banned.

“Our work against organized hate is ongoing and we will continue to review individuals, organizations, pages, groups and content against our community standards,” said the statement.

The bans come nearly two months after Facebook imposed a strict ban on EDL founder Tommy Robinson.  The top UK Islamophobic figure, who has repeatedly been convicted in the country for various crimes, had been outlawed by other major social media organizations including Twitter and PayPal while YouTube has also imposed tight restrictions on his activity.

The bans come as far-right groups have surged in the UK over the past few years mainly due to their campaign against Muslims and migrants. They have also gained support from nationalists amid Britain’s push to withdraw from the European Union.