The government’s proposal to redefine extremism will “vilify the wrong people” and “risk more division”, according to a coalition of Muslim organisations.
Signatories include groups which fear they may fall under the new definition, which is due to be announced as part of the government’s new counter-extremism strategy on Thursday.
CAGE International, Friends of Al-Aqsa (FOA), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB), Muslim Engagement and Development (MEND), and 5Pillars say “the proposed definition signals an attack on civil liberties by attacking law-abiding individuals and groups that oppose government policy by labelling them as ‘extremist'”.
A spokesperson for the coalition added: “This new extremism definition is a solution looking for a problem.
“It attacks one of the cherished cornerstones of our pluralistic democracy – that of free speech.
“Anyone, regardless of faith or political colour should be free to criticise the government of the day without being labelled as ‘extremist'”.
This follows warnings by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, that the proposals risk “disproportionately targeting Muslim communities”.
Sky News also spoke to Shakeel Afsar, a vocal protester who has led pro-Palestinian demonstrations through the streets of Birmingham.
Mr Afsar told Sky News: “This is only being passed to silence us and to put a zip on our mouth and say what you are saying is not acceptable, it won’t be entertained, and that’s wrong.
“This is not the democratic country that I grew up in. As far as I was aware, we had a right to speak.
“And what I’m saying is not my view. You could take a walk down streets in many areas and every single thing that we have said and done is agreed by many, many thousands of British citizens.”
Mr Afsar made headlines five years ago when a protest exclusion zone was set up around a Birmingham primary…
