Extinction Rebellion is not the first protest group to find itself labelled a threat because of alleged ‘extreme or violent ideologies’ and sadly it is unlikely to be the last.Over the past decade, Netpol (Network for Policy Monitoring) has documented unwarranted attention and intensive surveillance by UK counter-terrorism police across a wide range of social and political movements: from anti-fascists, anti-arms trade campaigners and individuals involved in international solidarity (especially for the Kurds and Palestinians), to opponents of fracking, open-cast mining, airport expansion and groups resisting immigration deportations.Perhaps unsurprisingly, this ongoing list also extends to campaigners who oppose authoritarian counter-terrorism laws and police spying on legitimate political dissent.
Source: Counter-terror police are quashing dissent | New Internationalist