“The state is a product and a manifestation of the irreconcilability of class antagonisms. The state arises where, when and insofar as class antagonism objectively cannot be reconciled. And, conversely, the existence of the state proves that the class antagonisms are irreconcilable” (V.I. Lenin, The State and Revolution),
Workers within the state machinery, particularly schools, are becoming increasingly aware of the British state’s growing anxiety over pro-Palestine (specifically pro-Palestinian Resistance) sentiments within the UK. The state has ramped up its vigilance regarding such sentiments, culminating in it making updates and adjustments to the PREVENT strategy guidelines in February/March 2024.
The most fundamental changes, are in essence, a widening of parameters by which the threat (that PREVENT purports to be purposed with containing) is defined with an obvious eye toward the support for national liberation of oppressed peoples across the world. Instead of speaking of the need to ‘prevent people from being drawn into terrorism’, the state now speaks of the need to ‘prevent people from becoming terrorists OR SUPPORTING terrorism’. Radicalisation is now ‘the process of a person legitimising support for, or use of, terrorist violence’. There is a specific switch from referring to ‘extremism’ to ‘terrorism’ specifically. Of course, the definition of ‘terrorism’ is whatever the state decrees ‘terrorism’ to be, however arbitrary this designation may be. This is key, as it conflates divergence from the establishment’s liberal hegemony with outright terroristic violence – seeking to not only justify itself vis-a-vis appealing to public hysteria and paranoia, whilst also intimidating members of the public into accepting liberal (Zionist) ideology as the only acceptable discourse. In spite of the genocide committed by the Zionists in Gaza, the British establishment would never class it as ‘terrorism’ or criminalise the UK supporters of that genocide as supporting terrorism! The so-called Commission for Countering Extremism has expressed dissatisfaction with PREVENT implementation, demanding more fervent adherence by state institutions like schools, with special focus on Islamic radicalism.
The Department for Education website outlines what Prevent deems to be indicators of radicalisation into terrorism. The low-risk criteria are particularly telling (and appalling):
• holding strong opinions or values (non-violent or non-extremist)
• criticising government policies
• adopting visible signs, for example wearing clothing (non-violent or non-extremist), to express identity or sense of belonging
• being active on social media
• taking a keen interest in national and international affairs
• demonstrating support and supporting causes, for example animal rights (non-violent)
• showing new interest in a political ideology or religion
• holding or expressing conservative values or practices, whether traditional, cultural or religious (unless they cause harm to a child or others, for example female genital mutilation)
While the website advises that low risk behaviour need not “necessarily be explored further” when observed in isolation, it does recommend informal chats and safe spaces to debate contentious issues. This seems innocuous; however, the point is that educators are being encouraged to be extraordinarily vigilant about normal forms of expression – forms of expression that we are told that the state embraces as part of a healthy and functioning democracy (freedom of speech). Naturally, the medium and high-risk criteria designate support for or sharing materials of proscribed organisations as an indicator of serious threat – in this case it is advised that the police should be contacted.
Suella Braverman is quoted on the government website as follows: “the updated Prevent duty guidance provides frontline professionals in education, healthcare and local government with a renewed focus as well as new tools and information to stop people from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism”. Given that under UN law, Palestinian resistance is indeed lawful, we can see that the government is relying on its designation of resistance factions as proscribed terrorist entities to stamp out all support for the Palestinian (as well as Iranian, Lebanese, Yemeni) resistance by creating a harsher atmosphere of suspicion and fear amongst the population.
PreventWatch, a community led initiative which ‘provides legal advice and documents the impact of PREVENT on individuals and communities’ notes, in an article published on 14 March of this year entitled ‘Prevent is political: No “new definition of extremism”, only a war on ideas’ , that “Prevent addresses ideas – ideologies – which, in themselves, are lawful. The government takes to itself the definition of what is to be judged ‘extremist’. This is a form of state-directed censorship which is necessarily authoritarian’”. The PreventWatch website documents numerous cases of false flag PREVENT referrals and victim testimonies from those harmed from such referrals. Going through a PREVENT referral often leaves people traumatised, forever looking over their shoulder, feeling that they cannot speak honestly or trust others.
Robin Simcox, the current Commissioner for Countering Extremism at the United Kingdom’s Home Office said the following in an interview with the New Statesman – “I think it’s important for us as a country to have those difficult conversations [about extremism], and I don’t regard them as political”…a completely empty, vacuous statement that seeks to conceal the obvious fact that all of this is deeply political. Later, in the same article he says the following – “my view throughout was that it’s a really febrile atmosphere at the moment, and post-7 October [when Hamas attacked Israel and around 1,200 Israelis were killed, according to Israeli government figures], the extremism challenges this country faces have been amplified,” he said. “If the only response to that was a new definition of extremism, I think most people would view that as an unsatisfactory outcome. There has to be more to the work than just, well, we’re going to define it in a different way… I do want there to be some follow-through to it; it can’t just be words.” The author further remarks that he “does not think we can go back to how we were before 7 October”. In the same article, Simcox expresses his view that it would be prudent to proscribe the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, and that Islamic extremism is his number one priority. We can see clear as day that these counter terrorism measures are aimed toward stamping out support for the resistance efforts within West Asia – resistance efforts that seek to end decades of Anglo-American Zionist aggression in the region (See Anoosh Chakelian, ‘Robin Simcox: “Extremism is not always a black-and-white issue”, New Statesman, 24 April 2024).
Comrades of the Communist Party of Great Britain (Marxist-Leninist) have already experienced firsthand the effects of this heavy-handed attempt at censorship and repression, culminating in multiple arrests at Palestine solidarity demonstrations last year. Their pamphlet condemning Zionism, its imperialist roots and antisemitic modus operandi, was targeted ruthlessly – leading to arrests and ridiculous bail terms. Farcically, the reason given was that the pamphlet was racist. The state made a specific effort toward intimidating comrade Ranjeet Brar – contacting his employers as well as social services, potentially risking the wellbeing of his three children.
Another day, another ruthless attempt at suppressing expressions of democratic will – while forcing the notion of democracy as core ‘British value’ down everyone’s throat. The state is evidently terrified by the masses’ disgust and furious uproar against the Zionist genocide, which has now turned its eyes toward terrorising civilians in Lebanon. Another calculated effort is being made towards intimidating the population of the UK, with an especially wicked and egregious eye towards the surveillance and intimidation of Muslim youth in educational settings. It should not be forgotten that the very same British state has both funded and armed the most rabid, fascistic Islamic terrorist organisations for decades – the very same organisations that the Axis of Resistance heroically fought against. While it remains true that the state is behaving in a maniacal and tyrannical fashion, let us rejoice that the wisdom of the masses is such that British support for the Resistance is proving to be an everlasting thorn in the side of the imperialists. The fact that there is anything at all to repress, is a fact to be celebrated.
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