Prevent in the News Archives - Page 2 of 62

Q: Prevent and Countering Violent Extremism usher in ‘whole society’ surveillance | openDemocracy

In the aftermath of Sudesh Amman’s attacks in London on February 2, the Evening Standard London ran as its frontpage an appeal from Counter-terror police chiefs , calling for the public to take a more active role in stopping terror threats. These appeals, alongside refrains such as “communities defeat terrorism”, and calls for the public to “trust their instincts” in identifying potential ‘extremists’, have increased in recent years. They are often expressed alongside demands to support the Prevent counter-extremism programme and to extend it further, to develop what is often called a “whole society approach” to countering extremism. Here, the responsibility of surveillance and security steps decisively out of the exclusive remit of government agencies and are rolled out across the public, private and civil sector and into the heart of society. Source: Prevent and Countering Violent Extremism usher in ‘whole society’ surveillance | openDemocracy

Q: Terror police's Extinction Rebellion 'risk report' sent out a year ago | Environment | The Guardian

Police say Rising Up report was commissioned as group had a ‘large following’ and concluded XR was not a threat Counter-terrorism chiefs ordered a formal assessment of whether Extinction Rebellion was a national security threat one year ago and then sent a secret report about the group to police forces, the Guardian has learned. The revelation shows that counter-terrorism police’s interest in the non-violent climate emergency group began earlier and was more extensive than previously thought. Police insist that the confidential assessment, which was titled Rising Up, concluded that XR was not a terrorist or extremist threat, and was sent to regional counter-terrorism units and “policing partners”. They have declined to give any more detail about what it covered. Source: Terror police's Extinction Rebellion 'risk report' sent out a year ago | Environment | The Guardian

Q: Government to be challenged in court over Prevent reviewer | UK news | The Guardian

Legal action from Rights Watch (UK) comes amid spate of terror attacks in London The government’s failure to appoint an independent reviewer of its Prevent strategy and assess the controversial de-radicalisation programme’s effectiveness is to be challenged in court. The decision by Rights Watch (UK) to initiate legal action against the Home Office comes amid terror attacks in London that raise questions about whether young men can be successfully directed away from terrorist violence . Under the terms of the Counter-Terrorism and Border Security Act 2019, a report by an independent review of Prevent must be presented to parliament by mid-August. Source: Government to be challenged in court over Prevent reviewer | UK news | The Guardian