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Leeds Community Leaders Call On Leeds City Council To Stand Up To Islamophobia

Thursday, 24 March 2016 at 15:42

Local community leaders from Muslim groups and Leeds Green Party are urging Leeds City Council to stand up to Islamophobia and help promote cohesion across Leeds’ communities

A delegation of concerned Leeds residents and community leaders expressed their concerns to Leeds City Council, including Shahab Adris regional manager for Yorkshire & Humber of Mend (Muslim Engagement and Development), Mothin Ali, a Leeds member of the UK Imams Forum, and Joe Salmon, Headingley resident and prospective candidate for Leeds Green Party. 

They are calling on Leeds City Council to consider how Prevent is implemented at local level, and introduce proper independent reviewing and wide involvement of local Muslim communities in understanding and challenging the root causes of radicalisation. They are urging the Council to help ensure that frightening incidents that have been seen in other parts of the country involving young children are not repeated here.

They are also encouraging Leeds City Council to pass a motion to lobby national government to abolish Prevent, and replace it with evidenced-based, well-researched measures.

The Prevent programme, stepped up by the government last year in an attempt to kerb extremism, has met with serious concerns by community leaders in Leeds, and many others across the UK, that it is demonising Muslim children and causing tensions.

Joe Salmon, Headingley resident and prospective candidate for Leeds Green Party, said: “Prevent is a knee-jerk, discriminatory policy that risks everyone’s safety, and The Green Party has been campaigning for its replacement with a more effective, well-researched strategy.” 

Shahab Adris, regional manager for Yorkshire and Humber of Mend, said: “The many shocking incidents we have heard about across the country to do with children being targeted and questioned through the Prevent programme highlight its absurd and destructive nature. We, alongside many legal experts and community leaders across the country, are deeply concerned about Prevent, and we’re worried now about its implementation in Leeds. We’re urging the Council to take steps to ensure it’s not implemented as it has been in many other areas without proper review and the engagement of Muslim communities.”

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