21 January 2020 - UK terrorism police list Extinction Rebellion as extremist ideology
Extinction Rebellion: Counter-terrorism police list group as 'extremist' in guide
(BBC News, 10/01/2020)
Counter-terrorism police in south-east England have admitted an "error of judgement" after listing Extinction Rebellion as an "extreme ideology".
First reported in the Guardian, the police guide - aimed at stopping young people being radicalised - suggested referring those at risk of extremism to the government's Prevent programme.
"How dare they," said climate change group Extinction Rebellion.
Extinction Rebellion was always going to be labelled ‘extreme’ – that’s just how Prevent works
Ilyas Nagdee (The Independent, 11/01/2020)
Yesterday, news broke that the counter-terrorism documents had designated Extinction Rebellion, a climate change movement, as an “extremist” ideology that should be reported to its Prevent programme. The document says to watch out for people who speak about the ongoing climate catastrophe in emotive terms and refers explicitly to the school strikes in which tens of thousands of students in the UK have taken part.
This isn’t surprising.
Last year, news broke of a retired doctor referred to Prevent by his local NHS trust for joining XR, while the influential rightwing thinktank Policy Exchange published a report – co-authored by the former head of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, no less – called for it to be dealt with as an “extremist” group.
Priti Patel defends decision to add Extinction Rebellion to anti-terrorism watch list
Tony Diver (The Telegraph, 13/01/2020)
Priti Patel has defended a decision to flag Extinction Rebellion’s beliefs to the Government’s terror watchdog, after criticism from MPs and a former head of the programme.
Police added the protest group’s beliefs onto the list of ideologies that warrant reporting someone to the Prevent programme, which seeks to stop terror attacks.
The move was condemned by Sir Keir, the Labour leadership frontrunner, who said it was “completely wrong and counterproductive”.
Should a teacher report a pupil for Extinction Rebellion activism?
Donna Ferguson (The Guardian, 21/01/2020)
Counter-terror police issued guidance requiring teachers to report members of Extinction Rebellion to the authorities under the Prevent powers. The guide was recalled after the Guardian revealed its existence, but later another list emerged citing the group, as well as Greenpeace and Stop the Badger Cull.