it has been suggested that the Government's initative on preventing violent extremism unfairly targets Muslims, or leads them to believe they are being unfairly targeted. It is certainly true that the risk of terrorism and violent extremism comes from more than one quarter. So I welcome the New Local Government Network's statement, for which hat-tip David T at Harry's Place, which says in part:
a sensible anti-extremism strategy would bracket together groups like Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizb ut Tahrir with Socialist Action, the Socialist Workers Party, Stop Huntingdon Animal Cruelty, and the British National Party.
though I would differ in respect of the BNP, because it is a legally constituted political party. The Green Party contains a great many right-wing extremists but no-one is suggesting targeting them. However I would include for example Combat 18 and like groups.
What do readers think?
7 comments:
Right Wing extremists? Compared to Labour with id cards, Blunkett, foriegn wars in support of George Bush etc?
I wasn't aware that SWP were involved in terorism but then I can't remember the last time I actually heard anything about them.
As for unfairly targetting the muslim community well why let political correctness get in the way of an atrocity.I seem to remember that the Irish felt that they were being unfairly targeted during the 70s ..not that anyone actually gave a toss..
PVE meetings suffer from (1) some Muslims claiming they are targetted by the Government, and the process has nothing to do with them, and (2) the same Muslims wanting to run the show as they are the main stakeholders.
Many of us moderate socialists remember how the extreme socialist groups used to attract students, particularly if they did not come from a Labour background, in the same way as extreme Muslim (and other religions') groups now attract youngsters from non-religious backgrounds.
All those groups you mention show contempt for democracy and the rule of law.
If the bulk of anti-terrorist activity is directed at Moslems, that may be because the bulk of the terrorist threat is now Islamic!
In terms of scale & capability, groups & individuals such as animal rights extremists or self-styled Nazi nutters such as Neil Lewington seem basically more criminal than terrorist.
This talk of "a common strategy" brings to mind the comments of the Government's own anti-terrorism adviser, Lord Carlisle, that white people were being unfairly stopped & searched under anti-terrorist laws just to preserve an ethnic balance in Police statistics.
A ruse it seems to disguise unwelcome truths?
Did you read about the riot in the Bull Ring Centre in Birmingham last week?
It was started by the English Defence League who allegedly have links with the BNP.
I guess that could be why the BNP were listed.
@Jonathan,
having seen some of the Birmingham footage on youtube, it seems that the anti-free speech yobbo knuckledraggers from the UAF team were rather more involved in the violence than the opposing groups.
Two cheeks of the same arse though, as they say on the Grauniad.
Yeah 'arse' in general is a very apt description of The Guardian and everyone who is associated with it.
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