An independent advocacy organisation has blasted a group which calls itself ‘anti-extremist’ for releasing a report it says is an attempt to “limit free speech and thought on campuses.”
CAGE, which says it seeks to empower communities impacted by the war on terror, said it is rejecting the findings by Student Rights for, what it terms as, “fuelling Islamophobia” with its latest report on the Government’s counter-radicalisation strategy, Prevent.
In the report, Student Rights said Prevent was being prevented from functioning effectively due to widespread student opposition, despite significant concerns about on-campus extremism.
The group also added it had recorded over 100 on-campus events each year since 2012 hosting speakers with extreme views or a history of involvement with extremist organisations and that a number of those convicted of terrorist offences have passed through Britain’s higher education institutions.
Now, however, CAGE’s director, Dr Adnan Siddiqui, said Student Right’s report suggested a correlation between events taking place at university and terrorism, with there being no evidence of convicted terrorists attending university events.
He added: “The data used in the report is completely inadequate to even make a judgement regarding correlation and nothing links the two besides innuendo.
“The report rather implies that simply being a Muslim student at a UK university while these events are held may be a cause of radicalisation – an assumption that, in itself, is biased.”
Dr Siddiqui also highlighted how British universities have a tradition of hosting speakers who were deemed ‘extremist’ in their time and said the airing of views that run contrary to the mainstream is necessary for society to establish the truth.
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Many modern movements were founded on what were once ‘extremist’ ideas, he said, adding: “Efforts to muzzle unpopular views are a violation of the British values of openness and debate.
“If speakers are banned, people will find platforms for the exchange of views away from the public discourse, making it less likely that unpopular views will be challenged.”
Speaking about Student Right’s report, the group’s director and the author of the findings, Rupert Sutton, said extremism on university campuses remained a serious issue and added: “It is vital that the Government works to increase support for those challenging extremist narratives about Prevent and that any guidance for university staff addresses fears driven by these narratives.”
CAGE claims Student Rights has been condemned by the National Union of Students’ (NUS) executive council, the NUS Black Students’ Conference, and several university student unions including the London School of Economics, University College London, Birkbeck, Queen Mary, and King’s College London.
It adds that the NUS has refused to work with Student Rights.
Reacting to CAGE’s statements, a Student Rights spokesperson told The Independent that CAGE’s remarks about the report were “a perfect illustration of the problem faced by anyone seeking to challenge extremism on our campuses.”
The spokesperson also defended Student Right’s report and added: “This report is the most thorough examination of the serious problems faced by universities, the gravity of which has been acknowledged by the Prime Minister as recently as last week.”
