Advocacy group CAGE has launched a website to debunk the Prevent counter-extremism policy which Muslims say disproportionately targets the community.
The Abolish Prevent website has over 200 pieces of content, featuring know your right guides, reports and views from across the board that “demonstrate the consensus rejecting Prevent.”
It captures a decade of advocacy by CAGE against Prevent and provides a way forward beyond the policy. The content of the website has been widely endorsed by over 100 professionals and academics.
The website has launched ahead of the government’s anticipated review into Prevent led by the right-wing William Shawcross.
Speaking on its launch, Mohammed Rabbani, Managing Director of CAGE said: “The website serves as a permanent record evidencing the overwhelming need to abolish Prevent. This website is the culmination of over a decade of work by CAGE, having directly assisted nearly 400 individuals and organisations targeted by Prevent, uncovered damning evidence against the programme, and worked to build consensus in civil society around a common position. We have faced trenchant criticism from right wing forces and initial scepticism from civil rights groups , but the material illustrates that our wake call was justified and necessary.
“Abolishing Prevent is the only sensible option. The evidence is clear that the policy undermines civil liberties, and only serves to bolster the ever encroaching surveillance infrastructure created by the state to demolish our rights and freedoms.
“Impacted communities, activists and organisers can all benefit from this website as it presents a community-led response to the failed Prevent programme in one central place. We renew our call to all right minded individuals and groups to join our campaign to abolish what has been one of the most pernicious policies in modern times.”
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The government says that Prevent is about safeguarding people and communities from the threat of terrorism. Prevent is part of CONTEST, the Government’s counter-terrorism strategy. It aims to stop people becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism and violent extremism, according to the authorities.
