UK flags ‘white nationalism’ over ‘deradicalization’
(MENAFN) A UK government training manual tied to the Prevent counterterrorism strategy has labeled concerns over mass migration and Western cultural identity as signs of potential radicalization, drawing criticism from public figures and free speech advocates.
The Prevent program, aimed at identifying early signs of extremism among individuals before they engage in terrorism, highlights “far-right and extreme right-wing terrorism” as a significant national threat. Among its indicators is “cultural nationalism” – defined as the belief that Western culture is under threat due to mass immigration and insufficient integration by some ethnic and cultural groups.
Other red flags noted in the guide include opposition to practices such as the wearing of the burqa and the perceived rise of sharia law in the UK. The training also warns against “White Nationalism,” which it describes as promoting the idea that white populations face an existential threat due to demographic changes and seek to establish an ethnically homogenous homeland.
Prevent is a mandatory training module for teachers, police, health workers, and other public sector employees. It is built on the principle that no single background or path leads to terrorism in the UK, and that early intervention can prevent radicalization.
The program has sparked backlash. Former Prime Minister Liz Truss criticized the guide, arguing that most Britons share the view that Western values are at risk. “We have a deep state working against the people. The Prevent program should be cancelled,” she wrote on X.
Lord Young of Acton, head of the Free Speech Union, raised concerns that Prevent is targeting people with lawful, though politically controversial, views. In a letter to Home Secretary Yvette Cooper, he warned that even standard right-wing opinions may now be flagged as ideological threats.
In response, a Home Office spokesperson defended Prevent, stating that the program’s purpose is not to stifle debate or freedom of speech but to protect vulnerable individuals from being drawn into extremist ideologies.
The UK continues to grapple with domestic security threats. In May, a 20-year-old man was charged with terrorism offences related to arson and a bomb hoax in Slough. And in October, Axel Rudakubana, 18, a UK-born son of Rwandan immigrants, was charged with murdering three girls and injuring several others in a Southport attack. Reports revealed he had previously been referred to Prevent three times.
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