The prevent guidance: preventing extremism or promoting prejudice?

11th Annual Bindmans / UCL Debate

About this event

It has been a year since ‘Prevent’, a limb of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy, was given statutory teeth under the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act 201.  Prevent imposes a statutory duty on public authorities to ‘have due regard to the need to prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’.

For some, Prevent’s focus on tackling extremism and holding up ‘British values’ is key to diverting the young and vulnerable from extremism, and to re-educating them and building closer communities. But for others, Prevent undermines core civil liberties, including the right to freedom of expression and freedom to practice religion.

The debate will examine whether the policy is too broad in defining extremism –  whether Prevent is effective in stopping ‘radicalisation’ or does it simply alienate the very communities it hopes to engage? And are the curbs on our liberties justified?

Speakers

Anjum Khan (Director, Collaborative Ventures)
Malia Bouattia (President-elect, National Union of Students)
Simon Cole (National Police Chiefs’ Council lead on Prevent)
Miqdaad Versi (Assistant Secretary General, Muslim Council of Britain)

Chair

David Anderson QC (Independent Reviewer of Terrorism Legislation)