Last week saw an open letter published in the Independent which targeted the UK’s counter-radicalisation strategy, Prevent, and called for it to be scrapped. Signed by over 40 senior National Union of Students (NUS) and individual student union officers, the letter damned the policy as one which: “…reinforces an ‘us’ and ‘them’ view of the […]
Continue readingNational Action member’s conviction shows threat posed by group
On 14 January 2015 Zack Davies, a member of the neo-Nazi organisation National Action (NA), tried to murder Dr. Sarandar Bhambra with a machete because he “looked Asian”. Only prevented from killing Dr. Bhambra by the intervention of a former soldier, Davies was today convicted of attempted murder and will be sentenced in September. While […]
Continue readingUCU opposition to Prevent leads to support for extremists
In recent months, government attempts to deal with campus extremism have faced opposition from students, lecturers, and even the former Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg. Following the General Election, plans to give universities a legal duty to prevent students from being drawn into extremism have returned to the agenda – as has the resistance to […]
Continue readingMuhammad Salah and the University of Greenwich
On 9 May, the Islamic Society at the University of Greenwich released a poster for an ‘Annual Dinner’ event called ‘The Promise of Allah & The Promise of Shaytaan’. Due to take place on 5 June, the event was to feature Muhammad Salah as a “special guest”, who would have been an extremely controversial speaker. […]
Continue readingHizb ut-Tahrir’s hypocrisy on freedom of speech (Update: Event report on HT website)
UPDATE 04/05/2015: Following last week’s event a report of Dr Wahid’s speech has been published on the HT website. In this, Dr Wahid states that his aim was: “exposing the UK Counter-Extremism policy called ‘Prevent’ for an audience that may not be well-acquainted with its most sinister and pernicious aspects”. He also claims that: “‘Deradicalisation’…is […]
Continue readingNUS motion pledges to work with CAGE
Over the past two days, delegates from the National Union of Students (NUS) have been meeting in Liverpool for the organisation’s Annual Conference. Voting on new policy, the NUS once again showed its inability to challenge extremism, instead passing a motion resolving to oppose government counter-extremism work. Motion 517 declared that “NUS officers will not […]
Continue readingMEND events promoted to students
With the general election fast approaching there have been several articles in recent weeks which have revealed attempts to gain political influence by organisations connected to extremists. This afternoon, an event at the University of Manchester will host one such group, as Yusuf Thai of Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND) addresses students on Islamophobia. Meanwhile, […]
Continue readingCAGE events show FOSIS failure to challenge extremism
Following its attempt to blame the radicalisation of ISIS executioner Mohammed Emwazi on the British government in March, prisoner rights group CAGE has returned to targeting UK counter-extremism policy in the past week. On Friday, the group began a nationwide tour of workshops attacking the recent passage of the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act, as well […]
Continue readingIslamic Society ‘Annual Dinner’ features extreme speakers (Update: Event details changed)
UPDATE: Following the publication of this article, the title of this event was changed to the first Annual Dinner of the ‘Al-Kawni Trust’. This organisation, alleged to be a front set up by members of City Islamic Society in 2010, has frequently promoted City events in the past. The City University Islamic Society has denied […]
Continue readingAnjem Choudary invited to address the Oxford Union
Reports yesterday claimed that the extremist cleric Anjem Choudary had been invited to take part in a debate at the Oxford Union entitled ‘This house believes that radicalism is born at home’. The co-founder of the proscribed organisation Al-Muhajiroun, Choudary is currently on police bail after being arrested for membership of a banned group in […]
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