
What we can expect from the Prevent strategy this academic year
Here’s what students, staff and parents can expect this 2023-4 academic year after the Home Office accepted all of Shawcross’s recommendations.
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Prevent Cases
Netpol: 14-year-old boy labelled a Domestic Extremist
JACK’S STORY: today we want to tell you all how a 14-year-old Derbyshire boy was labelled a #DomesticExtremist because he said in class – in a lesson on the US civil rights movement – that he is an anti-fascist and how his family was then hounded by counter-terrorism police
The Quran Case: Prevent Crossing the Red Line
[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”no” equal_height_columns=”no” menu_anchor=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” id=”” background_color=”” background_image=”” background_position=”center center” background_repeat=”no-repeat” fade=”no” background_parallax=”none” parallax_speed=”0.3″ video_mp4=”” video_webm=”” video_ogv=”” video_url=”” video_aspect_ratio=”16:9″ video_loop=”yes” video_mute=”yes” overlay_color=”” video_preview_image=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” padding_top=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” padding_right=””][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ layout=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” border_position=”all” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding_top=”” padding_right=”” padding_bottom=”” padding_left=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” center_content=”no” last=”no” min_height=”” hover_type=”none” link=””][fusion_youtube id=”https://youtu.be/h2h01Gp9gSg” alignment=”center” width=”” height=”” autoplay=”false” api_params=”” hide_on_mobile=”small-visibility,medium-visibility,large-visibility” class=”” /][fusion_text] Sector: Education Region: Greater London Gender: Male Adam was about to start his summer holidays… Adam* is 8 years old. It was the last day of school and Adam’s mother went to pick him up as she normally would. When she arrived at the school, she was met by a teacher who informed her that two Police Officers and a Social Worker had questioned Adam earlier that day. Adam’s mother was shocked as there had never been any concerns about Adam

The School Trip Case
Date: July 2018 Sector: Education Region: East Midlands Gender: Male QS is 6 years old. During the last week of school, QS’s mother received a ‘courtesy call’ from her son’s school informing her that he had been referred to Prevent. The mother was told that during a school trip, QS had made comments to another 6-year-old child about non-Muslims and that he had allegedly learned these comments from his father. The other child then had told his parents who in turn informed the teacher. The staff member asked QS’s mother if she knew what Prevent was but did not proceed to explain the process any further. QS’s mother was too distressed at that point to ask any further questions. QS mother later learned that both the teacher and the family support worker had already questioned QS at school about the comments. QS’s mother was shocked that no one from the

The Optician Case
Date: April 2018 Sector: Health / NHS / Optician Region: Greater London Gender: Male TI is 9 years old. He had an appointment to see an optician and was accompanied by his father. Almost immediately upon commencing the eye examination, the Optician asked TI if he had Chloe, Rebecca, Emily, Barbara and other English girls in his class. TI felt confused by the question and said he did not have these girls in his class. The Optician then repeated the question six or seven times. He repeated the names of the girls emphatically and asked TI whether he had “these English girls” in his class. TI was still feeling confused and started to feel uncomfortable. TI asked the Optician “why do you keep asking these questions?” The Optician proceeded to state that “you go to one of them schools” and that “you don’t go to school with English kids do

The Humanitarian Worker Case
Sector: PoliceDate: February 2015Gender: FemaleLocation: North East RE is a 20-year-old nursery nurse who was travelling from the United Kingdom to provide humanitarian aid. She was subsequently subject to a schedule 7 stop under the Terrorism Act [2000]. During the stop, she said she was travelling abroad for humanitarian reasons. She was asked a number of questions such as her opinions of the events happening in Iraq and Syria, which mosque she attends, where she learns her Islamic knowledge and whether she believes in voting. Following the stop, RE had been receiving visits at home, which she described as “weekly visits from the police.” After a number of visits, she was visited by a Muslim individual who said that she wanted “to make sure she gets her Islamic knowledge from the right place” and insisted she was not under any criminal investigation. For example, she told RE that travelling without

The College Student Case
Sector: Education and childcare Date: July 2015 Gender: Male Location: West Midlands SJ is a 19-year-old college student who was reported to the police by his College. Police officers from West Midlands Counter-Terrorism Unit went to SJ’s home twice when he was not there and proceeded to send text messages to his mother until the family agreed to a meeting. SJ did not know why the Counter-Terrorism Unit was approaching him but felt that it was because he had recently become more religious in his appearance, for example, by wearing a thawb (a long garment). During the home visit, the officers mentioned that part of their role was to ‘prevent people, mainly young men, from going to Syria’. The officers confirmed that it was the College that had contacted them with a number of concerns- majority of which were manifestly tied to SJ’s religion. This became clear when SJ was informed that
The Prevent Duty



The Prevent Duty is championed by the government as an effective strategy to prevent terrorism, however, evidence suggests this is having an adverse effect on communities. Thousands of Prevent referrals are made each year but very few of them lead to any intervention.
Prevent Watch has supported hundreds of people impacted by Prevent. Our case studies show a huge failing of the Prevent Duty. We provide a free helpline with dedicated case workers to support people impacted by the Prevent Duty. We provide access to lawyers, media, research and much more.
What we’re working on

Report: A Response to the Shawcross Report

Report: The People’s Review of Prevent
On 12 February 2019, the government committed to carrying out an independent review of Prevent. We explain why the Government’s review of Prevent resulted in a boycott across civic society and the resultant alternative, the People’s Review of Prevent.

The Trojan Horse Affair
The Trojan Horse Affair ensured the Prevent was embedded in legislation under the guise of safeguarding. We analyse the events that unfolded in 2014 to reveal how they impact Prevent as we know it today.
Information and Support

Newsletter
Know your rights when dealing with Prevent officers. We provide the latest here.

Ways to Support
Your commitment has been vital to assisting hundreds of families across the UK who have been impacted by Prevent.
Prevent Watch appreciates every supporter and donor who helps to keep our helpline and supporting services running. Although we have helped hundreds of individuals we know that thousands of individuals are referred to Prevent each year and we rely on your help to be able to reach every person who needs our support.
We are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support.
Dr Layla Aitlhadj
Director, Prevent Watch