The Gaza War: A new definition of extremism in Britain targeting Islamists

Jonathan Hall, the government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, warned that the new policy “could undermine the UK’s reputation as it would be seen as undemocratic”.

The groups or organizations that the government intends to classify as extremist have not yet been revealed, but the latter has promised to publish a list in the coming weeks, targeting Islamists and neo-Nazis.

Zara Mohammed, president of the Muslim Council of Britain, told BBC Newsnight that the new definition would lead to “unfair targeting of Muslim communities.”

The government has already reduced its dealings with the Muslim Council of Britain, the largest Muslim group in Britain, and restricted its contacts with various departments.

Earlier this month, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak stood outside Downing Street and said there were “forces here at home trying to tear us apart”.

Discussing the pro-Palestinian protests that have erupted since the Gaza war, he said: “On numerous occasions recently, our streets have been hijacked by small groups that are hostile to our values ​​and do not respect our democratic traditions.”

Under the new definition, which takes effect on Thursday, extremism is “the promotion or support of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance, which aims to:

The previous definition of extremism, introduced in 2011 as part of the Prevent Strategy, described extremism as “explicit or active opposition to core British values, including democracy, the rule of law, individual liberty, mutual respect and tolerance between different faiths and beliefs.”

The government says the new law is “narrower in scope and more precise” and will help “clearly express” how extremism in behavior can be “proven”.

However, she says there is a “significant barrier” to being labeled an extremist, and that the policy will not target those with “private and peaceful beliefs”.

Organizations or individuals on the new list will not be labeled criminal, unlike terrorist groups, but they will be prohibited from contacting the government and unable to receive government funding.

In addition to redefining extremism, a new unit, the Counter-Extremism Center of Excellence, was created with the aim of collecting intelligence and identifying extremist groups.

Bodies and individuals classified as extremist have the right to request a re-evaluation and submit new evidence for review.

If disapproval persists, they can challenge the government’s decision through a potentially costly judicial review.

Announcing the new measure, Gove said: “Our values ​​of inclusivity and tolerance are being challenged by extremists.”

He added: “In order to protect our democratic values, it is important that we work to strengthen what we have in common, and be precise and clear in identifying the dangers posed by extremism.”

Critics have warned that the new definition could exacerbate societal tensions and expose ministers to legal challenges if its interpretation remains too broad.

Hall, the government’s independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, said: “Every attempt to update the definition of extremism has failed because it is not at all clear what you are trying to prevent by defining extremism.”

He added to the BBC: “What we see [في التعريف الجديد] It is that it stays away from those who do bad things, and targets those who think bad or have a bad ideology.”

Azhar Qayyum, CEO of Mend, said that “delegitimizing legal opposition in this way is in itself an undermining of the principles of liberal democracy” and that it “put the government under legal notice.”

The MEND movement describes itself as an anti-Islamophobia group. Early this year, she criticized the government’s decision to ban Hizb ut-Tahrir al-Islami as a terrorist organization, calling the decision an “anti-democratic” move.

Announcing the new definition, Gove faced questions about a major Conservative donor’s alleged comments about Labor MP Diane Abbott as an example of the type of case the new extremism unit would look into.

Frank Hester reportedly stated that the representative made him want to “hate all black women” and that she “should be shot.”

Hester admitted he made the “rude” comments and apologized for them, but insisted his comments “had nothing to do with her gender or the color of her skin.”

Gove told BBC Radio 4 that the comments were “racist” and “appalling”, but added that the role of the new team was to review the organizations’ “ideology” and not to assess individual comments.

Labor deputy leader Angela Rayner, who is also shadow communities secretary, said extremism was “a serious problem that needs serious action” and that “amending a new definition is not enough”.

She added: “The government’s strategy to combat extremism has been outdated for nine years, and it has repeatedly failed to define Islamophobia.”

In an open letter published by The Guardian on Sunday, former British home ministers Priti Patel, Sajid Javid and Amber Rudd urged Conservatives and Labor to “work together to develop a shared understanding of extremism and a strategy to prevent it that can stand the test of time, regardless of which party wins the election.” “.

“In the run-up to the general election, it is vital that this consensus is maintained and that no political party uses this issue to gain a short-term tactical advantage,” they said.

Brendan Cox, husband of murdered MP Jo Cox and founder of Survivors Against Terrorism, who also signed the letter, said the new definition was “not the scorched-earth policy we feared a few weeks ago.”

He added that there were “some constructive elements” in it, but the government’s approach had been “mismanaged and mishandled.”