Extinction Rebellion: Prevent Programme

Lord Dholakia Excerpts
Wednesday 15th January 2020

(4 years, 2 months ago)

Lords Chamber
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Lord Dholakia Portrait Lord Dholakia (LD)
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Does the Minister accept that lawful demonstrations are an essential part of our democracy? Extinction Rebellion is a non-violent campaign and to equate it with proscribed organisations is unacceptable. Prevent has already received critical reviews from our Muslim community and this incident has not helped. Will the Minister publish the full criteria taken into account when considering proscription of this nature so that these could receive the full scrutiny of Parliament?

Baroness Williams of Trafford Portrait Baroness Williams of Trafford
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The noble Lord will appreciate that we do not discuss how the Home Secretary comes to decisions on proscription, but she does so on the vigorous legal advice provided to her at the time. Extinction Rebellion was on a list of those with an extremist ideology, as opposed to a terrorist ideology. However, CT Police South East has accepted that this was wrong.