Spike Lee on why anger is good against far-right and 'poppycock' blame of immigrants

• Video report by ITV News Presenter Charlene White

Spike Lee has told ITV News more people should be angry about the rise of extremism in Britain, Europe and America, saying: "Sometimes anger is good."

The 61-year-old filmmaker, who was born in Atlanta, Georgia, said far-right politics wasn't isolated to his own nation but was a "global phenomenon" with a common enemy.

"We had it with Brexit and (the rise of National Rally leader Marine) Le Pen in France," he said.

"The common thread that I see is a scare tactic and the scare tactic is immigrants.

"Immigrants are the bogeyman, the reason for our economy, or crime, for drugs.

"Whatever you think is holding you down, immigrants are responsible for it and it's poppycock!"

Lee was speaking to ITV News ahead of the release of his new movie, BlacKkKlansman, which tells the true story of an African-American detective who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan.

While endorsing anger as a response to hate, Lee said there had to be a legitimate reason for people's frustrations.

"It depends, is it anger on the side of justice, on the side of equality or is it anger on the side of white supremacy?" he said.

"It really depends who you're talking about."