Hundreds of children under the age of six have been referred to the government’s counter-extremism scheme, The Times has learnt. There were 532 referrals to Prevent of children under the age of six between April 2015 and April 2018, while a further 1,181 aged between six and nine were referred during the same period. The figures, obtained under freedom of information laws, come as the government is accused of dragging its heels over an independent review of the programme. Source: Children under 6 referred to extremism programme | News | The Times

The government has launched the recruitment process for the Independent Reviewer of the Prevent programme. The Independent Review of Prevent will look at the effectiveness of the government’s strategy to protect vulnerable people from being drawn into terrorism. It will also make recommendations for the future. Source: Recruitment for Independent Reviewer of Prevent launched – GOV.UK

‘I wasn’t sure if I could trust my therapist 100%.’ ‘I feel I had to self-censor. And that’s not the point of therapy. It’s meant to be a place where you’re open to getting to the root of your problems’. 27-year-old Ahmed has had 13 cognitive behavioural therapy sessions, but he feels he’s had to hide or understate parts of his Muslim identity. He, of course, has no radical tendencies, but worries that when discussing the feelings of alienation that many British Muslims feel at times, it could be misconstrued as something darker, something terroristic. Source: Muslims scared of going to therapy in case they’re linked to terrorism | Metro News

Critics say female Muslim travellers have been targeted. An out-of-court settlement suggests they are right Police have admitted that forcing Muslim women to remove their headscarves at UK airports could be unlawful, a practice likened by one victim to being made “to remove her top”. In an out-of-court settlement, the Metropolitan Police has conceded that when it coerced a woman to take off her hijab so officers could photograph her, it was a breach of her human rights and violated the woman’s right to religious observance.   Source: Met police concedes forcing woman to remove hijab at airport was wrong | Law | The Guardian

Crest Advisory have come under widespread criticism from academics and activists alike after it published a “ludicrous” report just a few days before a UN expert stated that the toxic Prevent strategy violates human rights. Earlier this week, a so-called ‘criminal justice’ think tank, Crest Advisory, came under widespread criticism from academics and activists alike after it published a report on what British Muslims supposedly think about policing, extremism, and the Prevent programme. [1] The report argued that the toxic ‘anti-extremism’ strategy Prevent may not be apparently as controversial among British Muslims as previously thought. The think tank claimed to carry out a survey, the results of which demonstrate that the ‘narrative’ that the scheme is a ‘toxic brand’ is supposedly ‘fundamentally flawed’. Source: Prevent: Think tank under fire for publishing “ludicrous” and “deceptive” report about Muslim opinions – Islam21c

The former equalities commission chief should not be surprised that his claims about Muslims have come under scrutiny, says Conservative peer Sayeeda Warsi News of Trevor Phillips’ suspension from the Labour party over allegations of Islamophobia has once again highlighted how the debate on racism is far removed from the lives of those on the receiving end. Outrage on behalf of those accused of racism seems to have overtaken the moral outrage we should all feel at those engaged in it. Today it feels as if we’ve forgotten the lessons we fought and won on how racism operates, and how it hinders and harms our fellow citizens. Source: Trevor Phillips doesn’t understand Islamophobia | Sayeeda Warsi | Opinion | The Guardian

Two police forces referred members of their own staff to a government programme designed to steer vulnerable individuals away from committing acts of terrorism, inspectors have revealed. The revelation comes after a 21-year-old frontline Metropolitan police officer was arrested on suspicion of being a member of a banned rightwing terror group. “Insider” threats posed by staff vulnerable to radicalisation are overlooked by the majority of forces, according to a report by Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS). Source: Police referred own staff to counter-terrorism scheme | UK news | The Guardian

The number of white terror suspects being arrested in the UK has outstripped those of Asian appearance for the second year in a row. Official figures showed that that 117 white people were arrested on suspicion of terror offences in 2019, compared with 111 Asian suspects and 21 black suspects. “The proportion of white people arrested exceeded the proportion of Asian people arrested for the second consecutive year, having not done previously since 2004,” a Home Office document said. Source: More white people arrested over terrorism than any other ethnic group for second year in a row | The Independent

‘Violations of the rights of religious and ethnic minorities are being enabled by ‘deradicalisation’ policies and practice,’ says UN special rapporteur Counter-extremism programmes, including those employed in the United Kingdom and the United States, are contributing to human rights violations, according to a United Nations expert. A report submitted to the Human Rights Council on Wednesday said religious groups, minorities and civil society actors in particular have been victims of rights violations and are targeted under the guise of countering “extremism.” Read More » Special rapporteur Fionnuala Ní Aolain said any programme that relies on teachers, social workers and health-care staff to report signs of radicalisation should be scrapped. Source: Counter-terrorism programmes are violating human rights, UN expert says | Middle East Eye

Britain’s controversial counter-extremism programme violates human rights, a United Nations expert has said. A report issued on Wednesday suggested that Prevent should be scrapped in its current form, because it targets ill-defined “extremism” as well as violence and terrorism. The special rapporteur, Fionnuala Ni Aolain, expressed concern over the duty placed on teachers, social workers, NHS staff and others to report signs of radicalisation. Source: UK counter-extremism programme violates human rights, UN expert says | The Independent