County youth anti-terror play to tour country
A POWERFUL play exploring the dangers of radicalisation is to be rolled out nationally after gaining recognition in Leicestershire.
Going To Extremes will be shown in schools across the country as part of the Prevent campaign aimed at challenging and countering fundamentalism.
It was commissioned by the county council with input from Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council, other district partners and the police.
More than 17,000 teenagers from around 60 schools across the county recently watched the 40-minute performance from Northampton-based production company Alter Ego.
According to county officials “reviews from young children and adults alike have been phenomenally positive.”
Now thousands more youngsters will get to see the film which contributes to the Government’s agenda of safeguarding people and communities against the threat of terrorism.
The expansion was planned before the attacks at the Manchester Arena and in London.
Bill Knopp, prevent manager at Leicestershire Police, said: “Leicestershire Police congratulates Alter Ego and Leicestershire County Council for this innovative project. There are two persistent myths with the Prevent Strategy, the first is that it’s police led and the second that Prevent stifles debate.
“Going To Extremes demonstrates local authorities’ key role in the strategy. The play will raise awareness of the risks with young people and promote the discussion of difficult themes in an accessible and original way.”
The play consists of three char- acters’ narratives - two which focus on religious extremism and outline how two young people are enticed to join, or nearly join, radical groups in Syria, and one which explores how a young person got involved in far-right political extremism.
The production has a number of aims which include raising awareness of how radicalisation can happen, the different aims of various organisations involved in radicalisation and extremism and how to challenge radical and extremist narratives and discuss them openly.