Home Office ‘to educate MP’ who made false Free Palestine claim
LABOUR MP Zarah Sultana has been invited into the Home Office to learn more about Prevent, the government’s counter-extremism programme, after she wrongly claimed that a teenager had been reported for wearing a “Free Palestine” badge.
The invitation came after the Coventry South MP spoke at a Westminster Hall debate on Islamophobia last week, telling MPs about the “targeting of Muslims”. She repeated the widely debunked claim that a student had been referred to Prevent for expressing his support for Palestinians.
A senior source at the Home Office confirmed to the JC that the story was not true, and revealed that an invitation had been issued to the MP to learn more about Prevent.
The programme was launched by the government in 2015 to combat the ideology of extremism and terrorism. In January, ministers announced a programme review, to be led by William Shawcross.
Muslim community groups and human rights campaigners have boycotted the review, claiming Mr Shawcross, a former director of the Henry Jackson Society, has in the past expressed
“Islamophobic views” – something he strongly denies.
Speaking about Prevent, Ms Sultana said: “Countless studies and human rights groups have demonstrated [it] discriminates against Muslims. From young girls being referred to the programme simply for choosing to wear a hijab to a Muslim teen being questioned
by anti-terrorism officers for wearing a ‘Free Palestine’ badge.”
The claim referred to a story which received widespread coverage in 2016. Teenager Rahmaan Mohammadi had told a “Students not Suspects” meeting at Goldsmiths students’ union that he believed his ‘Free Palestine’ badge had, in part, triggered his school to report him to Prevent. At the time of referral, the youngster was just 14 years old. The case is frequently cited by campaigners opposed to the government’s Prevent programme. But the school in question, Challney High School for Boys in Luton, released a statement at the time making it clear that teachers had not been concerned about the badges.
Under its safeguarding policies, the school could not discuss the reasons for referral. But a number of Facebook posts from the teenager have subsequently surfaced, including one in which he told the intelligence services to “go kill yourselves”.
Earlier this year, Ms Sultana was among the Labour MPs warned by Jewish community organisations about stoking division during the 11-day Israel and Gaza conflict. She had attended a demonstration outside Downing Street where protesters carried banners comparing Israel to Nazi Germany.
She tweeted “solidarity, love and … prayers to the Palestinian people” and called for an end to the “brutal attacks” but did not condemn the bombardment of Israel by Hamas rockets.
The teenager had told the intelligence services to ‘go kill yourselves