Exclusive: Police scramble to recall guide issued to teachers putting climate activists alongside far-right groups. Counter-terrorism police placed the non-violent group Extinction Rebellion (XR) on a list of extremist ideologies that should be reported to the authorities running the Prevent programme, which aims to catch those at risk of committing atrocities, the Guardian has learned. The climate emergency campaign group was included in a 12-page guide produced by counter-terrorism police in the south-east titled Safeguarding young people and adults from ideological extremism, which is marked as “official”. XR featured alongside threats to national security such as neo-Nazi terrorism and a pro-terrorist Islamist group. The guide, aimed at police officers, government organisations and teachers who by law have to report concerns about radicalisation, was dated last November. (…) When the Guardian first asked police about the document, officials said they would review the guidance to clarify their position on Extinction Rebellion. But following further questions, counter-terrorism police confirmed it had been circulated to “statutory partners” and had now been recalled. They said they now accepted that the protest group was not extremist. (…) In its first statement, CTPSE said: “This document was produced at a local level to help our partners to spot the signs of vulnerability to radicalisation. By including Extinction Rebellion in this document, it gives the impression we consider them to be an extremist group, which they are not. We will review the guidance to make this clear.” Later, after further inquiries from the Guardian, police said they would recall the document.

via guardian: Terrorism police list Extinction Rebellion as extremist ideology

Extinction Rebellion, green placard (cropped).jpg
Von DAVID HOLT – https://www.flickr.com/photos/zongo/31078296837/, CC BY 2.0, Link

Categories: DiensteGewaltpolizei