A British woman is being praised for standing up to a supporter of the English Defence League during a gathering of the organisation in Birmingham, after a powerful photo of her emerged online. 

The English Defence League is a far-right street protest movement in the UK which opposes the spread of Islam and Sharia.

The powerful photo shows a woman, identified by media outlets as Saffiyah Khan, smiling directly at a man wearing the symbol of the EDL on his shirt.

According to The Guardian, it later emerged that she was defending another woman who was being shouted at by EDL demonstrators.

The controversial far-right group responded to the incident in a statement on their official Facebook page.

They claimed that Saffiyah "broke through police" and "started shouting during a minute's silence that we were holding for the victims of terror attacks"

Howver, Twitter uses were quick to show support for Saffiyah's actions. 

Speaking to The Telegraph, Saffiyah said she wasn't intimidated by the situation and thanked those who have supported her so far.

"I wasn't scared in the slightest… I knew they were trying to provoke me, but I wasn't going to be provoked."

''I didn't realise how many people would be so supportive, so it was worth it."

Saffiyah and Saira Zafar, the woman she defended, officially met for the first time on Monday and the two Brummie girls hugged it out. 

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