Thread by @luminatus1

If someone confesses a belief in values deemed to be ‘extreme’, they are on the path to violence and should be referred to #Prevent; those who do not or no longer believe in these values are deemed ‘safe’. 

But there is scant evidence to suggest that such an approach works

The focus on ideological factors, as found in Prevent, ignores a host of other causes behind violence, and assumes a linear progression between #thought and #action. 
It also means that it is almost impossible to assess whether Prevent is having any positive impact

It also means that it is almost impossible to assess whether Prevent is having any positive impact – while pre-criminal approaches may be comforting for demonstrating an industrious response against terrorism, it is almost impossible to know if it is the right one.

Throughout its history, Prevent has focused overwhelmingly on Islamic extremism.
Originally designed solely as an intervention in British Muslim communities, it has only recently been retrofitted to include some additional focus on the far-right

Initiatives have been introduced through Prevent which have sought to discipline Muslim communities and domesticate a British ‘moderate’ Islam, creating a framing of Muslims in the UK as a “suspect community” and as “conditional citizens”.

With the introduction of the Prevent duty in 2015, public sector institutions – such as schools, GP practices, universities, hospitals & prisons – were required report extremism, leaving schoolteachers & social workers to too often fall-back on stereotypes of who an ‘extremist’

leaving schoolteachers and social workers to too often fall-back on stereotypes of who an ‘extremist’ is, & making young people fearful of exercising their rights to freedom of expression

Prevent enables an association of Muslims with violence & mainstreams an assumption that

Prevent enables an association of Muslims with violence & mainstreams an assumption that Muslim communities are somehow particularly vulnerable to extremism & radicalisation

Yet, despite a growing chorus of concern from academics, civil society groups, activists & faith groups

activists & faith groups that Prevent is harming community cohesion, fuelling Islamophobia and leading to the far-right’s own anti-Muslim narratives, supporters of Prevent & the Government refuse to countenance the idea that there could be legitimate problems with the programme

When concerns are raised, critics are #framed as “Islamist agitators”, “terrorist apologists” or “disingenuous”. Years of critical peer-reviewed academic research, interviews, activism & community work by highly qualified actors across the breadth of British society are often

Years of critical peer-reviewed academic research, interviews, activism & community work by highly qualified actors across the breadth of British society are often dismissed, attacked as a result of raising concerns.

Even when Prevent’s supporters have admitted tht some of its elements r inadequate, it's not the strategy tht's deemed at fault, but the detractors

The Henry Jackson Society think tank, 4 instance, has blamed “political correctness” & suggested tht Prevent shld focus even more

The Henry Jackson Society think tank, for instance, has blamed “political correctness” and suggested that Prevent should focus even more on “Islamic extremism”. The org has been described as having an “anti-Islam agenda”, claimed that British university campuses are breeding

claimed that British university campuses are breeding grounds for “Islamic extremism”, and labelled several Muslim-led community groups “extremist”, according to a report by Georgetown University

Government’s review of Prevent is being led by William Shawcross – a former director of the #HJS who claimed that “Europe & Islam is one of the greatest, most terrifying problems of our future”, & whose appointment led to the review’s boycotting by more than 500 Islamic & other

review’s boycotting by more than 500 Islamic & other religious, civil society and human rights groups

It has been reported that 1 of the review’s recommendations will be for MI5 to be given greater control over Prevent, with teachers & faith leaders accused of being “too soft

The multitude of Muslim & faith groups, academics, civil society orgs, activists, special rapporteurs to the UN, parliamentarians, national unions & human rights bodies – all of whom ave opposed Prevent – will be framed not just as wrong, but as extremist

bylinetimes.com/2021/10/26/we-…