When I first had the privilege of visiting Palestine many years ago, a friend told me to always speak about what we, as guests, had witnessed and to never stop talking about Palestine when we returned home.
At the time, this seemed self-evident — more than that, a duty for those of us who have the privilege of free speech.
But as a caseworker at Prevent Watch, I now see how these rights are being eroded, especially when it comes to speaking about Palestine.
More than that, I have spoken to parents who are now uncertain about whether their children can even talk about Palestine at all.
10-year-old referred to Prevent
The above concern became even more urgent after October 7.
One of the first parents I spoke to at the time was a father of a 10-year-old boy, Isa*, who had written an essay about Palestine at school.
It is always distressing for a parent to receive an urgent call from their child’s school, fearing something serious has happened. Isa’s parents experienced that dread — only to be shocked when the school told them they were concerned about their boy’s essay and wanted to refer him to Prevent.
Prevent operates as part of counter-terrorism. Although the case was ultimately closed, Isa was left feeling as if he had done something terribly wrong.
This child, who had expressed genuine empathy and concern for children suffering across the world, was made to question himself at just 10-years-old!
Compassion for Palestine is criminalised
The politicisation of Palestine strips children of their voices and opinions, turning them into security concerns.
Government Prevent training and guidance direct schools to take this approach, and many have followed it unquestioningly and insist that Prevent is “no different from any other form of safeguarding”. But isn’t it vastly different from safeguarding?
Former Home Secretary Suella Braverman herself admitted that Prevent is not a social service but a security service.
The total opposite of safeguarding
Safeguarding should always prioritise the best interests of the child.
This means ensuring their safety in school — where safety includes the freedom to express their opinions and identity in a supportive environment, not one that criminalises them.
The 700+ cases we have supported so far, along with our two recent UN submissions, provide clear evidence that Prevent does not centre around children’s best interests.
Recently, Security Minister Dan Jarvis stated,
We will leave no stone unturned to ensure that we have the appropriate level of resource in the right place at the right time, so that the ever-evolving and complex nature of the threat we face — both in the United Kingdom and abroad — is appropriately addressed by our law enforcement agencies.” [1]
Like his predecessors, he refuses to acknowledge that when children bear the cost of security ambitions, that policy can never be fit for purpose.
“They do not know how patient I am”
Over the last ten years, I have heard people’s fears and anxieties about Prevent.
However, I have also had the privilege of witnessing firsthand how families have remained strong and been fearless and patient in their pursuit for accountability and justice.
As one individual, dismissed from their job for expressing support for the people in Gaza, said,
They do not know how patient I am.”
You can read more about our cases here.
Drive to end Prevent gaining serious traction
While Prevent is, in many ways, more aggressive now than ever, the movement to challenge it has also grown stronger.
The tide has been shifting in recent years, culminating in the UN’s call for Prevent’s suspension. The call to end Prevent is no longer the demand of a few; it has become a unified front. [2]
This progress is thanks to those who bravely share their stories, inspiring and encouraging others to speak out.
And it is upon all of us to ensure that our children are not silenced, that our institutions are held accountable, and that injustice is never normalised.
Muslim parents, educators, and community leaders must be aware of the risks Prevent poses and empower themselves with knowledge.
We must resist fear and ensure that our children grow up knowing that justice for Palestine is not a crime.
Join us in this fight. Stay informed by subscribing to our newsletter, and support our work by donating today.
A reflection from Dr. Layla Aitlhadj, Director at Prevent Watch
As we move through the last ten nights of Ramadan, amidst the ongoing and relentless massacre of Palestinians, I find myself reflecting on the above words of a brother who reached out to my colleague Anna for support.
He had lost his job simply for expressing solidarity with the people of Gaza. But knowing the long road ahead to justice, he showed that he was ready for battle.
At Prevent Watch, I have seen how injustice seeks to break people, but I have also witnessed the remarkable patience of those who refuse to be silenced.
Not a passive patience, but an active one that is rooted in the certainty that Allah sees all, that no injustice is hidden from Him, and that every hardship will be met with ease.
And in this sacred month, we are reminded that hardship is temporary, injustice will not last, and Allah’s help is near.
The Prophet ﷺ reminds us,
Know that victory comes with patience, relief with affliction, and ease with hardship.” [3]
In these final nights, as we raise our hands in du’ā, let us remember those who suffer oppression in all its forms.
Let us ask Allah to grant victory to the oppressed, to strengthen those who stand for justice, and to make us among those who never remain silent in the face of wrongdoing.
Let us be inspired by the early Muslims who exemplified patience, not just by enduring hardship but by actively resisting oppression with dignity and faith.
And let us act. Let us educate ourselves and our communities. Let us support organisations that fight injustice. Let us teach our children, and remind ourselves, that standing against injustice is not just a duty, but a moral imperative.
Source: Islam21c
Notes
*not his real name
[2] https://www.islam21c.com/politics/un-condemns-prevent-demands-payout-for-victims/
]3[ Tirmidhi; https://sunnah.com/nawawi40:19
