‘Safe spaces’ can push young people to radicalisation

EXCESSIVE political correctness can push some young people into dangerous radical views, a leading counter extremism expert has said.

Dr Usama Hasan warned of the risks of stifling discussion and urged against universities instituting “safe spaces” that limited debate.

The head of Islamic studies at the Quilliam Foundation said open discussions were key to tackling extremism among young people.

He told Turing House free school, in Teddington, southwest London, that sensitive topics such as the causes of Islamist terror had been “stifled” and extreme views had been pushed to the darkest corners of the internet.

He said: “If you push these issues to one side, then it will explode. That is where political correctness went too far. Stifling debate is dangerous. We know these ignorant or dangerous views exist, but if you ignore them they don’t go away. They fester. People feel a sense of frustration that they don’t have the freedom to express their views, which can lead to even more extreme views.”

He added: “I disagree with no-platforming and safe spaces for universities. They are adults, not children. There is a middle ground between political correctness going too far and the other side of the coin which is inciting hatred. You have to balance the two.”

Home Office figures last month showed that more than 2,000 children and teenagers were referred to the Government’s counter-terrorism programme last year amid fears they were at risk of extremism.

The figures showed that nearly a third of all those referred to the Prevent scheme were under 15 and more than half under the age of 20.

Just under two thirds of referrals were related to concerns about Islamist extremism, while one in 10 were linked to Right-wing extremism.