Criminalising Communities, Freedom of Speech, Prevent and Palestine
Speakers: Richard Haley (Chair, SACC), Gail Mackenzie (Chair, Scottish PSC Glasgow), Sam Macartney (Chair Unison Scotland International Committee).
Opponents of British foreign policy are increasingly subject to state harassment, intimidation and criminalisation. The UK Government's Prevent strategy is being massively stepped up in Scotland, with the full support of the Scottish Government. Supposedly intended to stop people turning to terrorism, it in fact promotes intervention by police and public-sector staff in a wide range of political activities.
It targets:
- Muslims, promoting Islamophobia and undermining the links between the Muslim community and the wider community.
- Movements against war and solidarity for Palestinian freedom, being labelled as 'radicalisation'.
- Plus all parents, teachers and children in an attempt to turn our society against one another.
Alongside the Prevent strategy, there is an attempt to conflate opposition of Zionism as 'hate crime' against Jews. This has become nothing less than a witch-hunt against boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) campaigners in Scotland with repeated attempts to bring "racism" charges against people who are campaigning for justice and for rights to be returned to Palestinians.
The trade unions whose members are in the front line of delivering Prevent are opposed to it. With our support, they can stop it.
What is going on, and what should we do?
Meeting organised jointly by SACC and Scottish Palestine Solidarity Campaign
