“Preventing Prevent”: Anti-Prevent Conference held at Warwick

A Prevent Conference, run by Warwick Students’ Union (SU) and co-hosted with Warwick Anti-Racism Society, took place on campus during Saturday 15 October.

Prevent is a policy relating to the government’s Counter Terrorism and Security Act 2015, taught as a form of de-radicalisation. It began in 2006, followed by Channel in 2007.

Channel is the “early-detection” of Prevent which mostly focuses on support and intervention for young people if they show signs of being drawn into extremism.

In the UK, 4,611 people have been referred to Prevent in the past year – a 75% increase since the previous year. The youngest person referred to this was 3 years old, in relation to an issue with safe-guarding.

Prevent policies in universities have been highly questioned by academics and students alike.

For example, equality issues have been raised over whether training from Prevent has led to mainly Muslims being referred, due to stereotypes and the way “terrorism” is sometimes identified.

Dr Narzanin Massomi, a speaker and Professor at Liverpool University, said: “In Prevent training, you are told to ‘trust your instincts’, which is concerning from an equality point of view.”

Hope Worsdale, Warwick SU Education Officer, did a very well-received speech during the conference. She said: “It (Prevent) has been designed to single out and target Muslims.”

She added: “Prevent marginalises those suffering with mental health problems.”

4,611 people have been referred to Prevent in the past year – a 75% increase since the previous year.

Prevent also work with the Charity Commission to help make sure the finances of UK mosques are transparent and less vulnerable to abuse by terrorists. The charitable status is hoped to be a benefit to faith institutions and schools.

Concerns were raised at the Warwick Conference as Prevent affects both teachers and students. It was discussed that teachers are afraid of being reported by their students for saying the wrong thing, whilst students also begin to self-censor themselves due to monitoring.

Jane Nellist, a speaker from Coventry National Union of Teachers (NUT) declared: “We want the government to withdraw Prevent.”
The National Union of Students (NUS) have launched the “Students Not Suspects” campaign to combat the Prevent scheme.

Shelley Asquith, a speaker and Welfare Officer at the NUS, stated: “We need students to educate each other about the devastating impact of Prevent and why we must oppose it. We need staff to refuse to comply, and students to support them in doing so.

“We need national campaigns and local networks to support one another.”