Working together to prevent extremism and terrorism

Working together to prevent extremism and terrorism

We must all work together to challenge terrorism and extremism of all kinds and stop the damage it can cause to individuals, families, and communities.

To mark Counter Terrorism Awareness Week (28th November to 4th December), we are highlighting the ‘Prevent’ work being delivered in the city – and how you can play your part.

Prevent is one of the four strands of the UK’s Counter Terrorism Strategy and is a statutory duty for local authorities. Prevent is about stopping people from joining in or supporting all forms of terrorism – right wing as well as those inspired by or affiliated to Daesh or Al-Qaida kind of groups.

Prevent is about supporting vulnerable individuals through care-based interventions before the risk of illegality occurs. It works in a pre-criminal space. It is also about supporting community resilience to challenge extremist and terrorist ideologies.

In Brighton & Hove, the Prevent Board coordinates activities with our partners to tackle and reduce these risks. We work with our communities to develop resilience to extremist influences which support terrorism.

Online media has been identified as an important tool in the sharing of extreme material with vulnerable people and groups are actively using social media to inform, share propaganda, radicalise and recruit to their cause.

We encourage all residents to do at least one of the three suggested activities below and ‘think Prevent’.

Together we stand for our ‘City Values’ based on pluralism, equality, fairness, and respect for all. Our ‘One Voice’ Partnership has summed up our ethos: “Our communities stand together and will not tolerate hate incidents, extremist perspective or actions in the city. We do not tolerate violence against innocent people, wherever it takes place.”

If you are concerned about an individual, please seek advice from our Prevent team by emailing Channel.Prevent@brighton-hove.gcsx.gov.uk

Concerned parents and adults can contact the NSPCC free helpline on 0808 800 5000 24 hours a day, seven days a week and speak with trained staff. The NSPCC’s counsellors will offer information, advice and counselling to adults concerned about their child being radicalised, and can support parents on how to talk to their children about issues concerning terrorism.

Three ways you can get involved…

1. Report anything online calling for racial or religious violence and illegal terrorist information to the Counter Terrorism Internet Referral Unit at www.gov.uk/report-terrorism. You can also access the ‘Red Button’ through the Safe In the City website at www.safeinthecity.info/getting-help/preventing-terrorism-and-extremism
2. Check out the ‘Prevent Tragedies’ website at www.preventtragedies.co.uk. The site provides information to better understand the risk of online radicalisation, and how to get help and support.
3. Make sure you know about donating safely at: www.ltai.info/safe-giving. The Charity Commission also offers advice to public and charities at www.gov.uk/government/news/safer-giving-advice-for-charities-and-the-public