Pro-Palestinian protests turning London into a 'no-go zone for Jews every weekend', claims counter extremism tsar
London is a "no-go zone for Jews every weekend" during pro-Palestinian protests, the UK's counter extremism tsar has warned.
Robin
Simcox said a "permissive environment for radicalisation" is developing
as he welcomed the government's expected move to create a new
definition of extremism.
But he also urged the government to be "faster, bolder and willing to
accept higher legal risk" if it means introducing policies that keep
the public safe.
Writing in The Daily Telegraph, the commissioner
for countering extremism said that not since the 11 September attacks
"have extremist networks been as emboldened".
He said: "We will
not have become an authoritarian state if London is no longer permitted
to be turned into a no-go zone for Jews every weekend."
Mr Simcox's comments come despite groups of Jewish people joining the regular London marches in solidarity with Palestinians.
Michael
Gove is expected to set out a new definition of extremism in the coming
days, which could include banning government officials from engaging
with or funding groups or individuals deemed extremist.
But it has
led to concerns from some on the right that it could inadvertently
penalise groups opposed to gay marriage, abortion or new transgender
rights.
Mr Simcox said: "While debates over a definition can feel like
academic navel-gazing when actual extremist acts are so common, the work
does have a clear purpose: it will be used to guide future decisions
over who government does, and does not, engage with and fund."
He said the government is "right to act", arguing evidence the state
"works with or funds extremists" has appeared in independent reviews
going back for a decade.
"This needs fixing, new definition of extremism or not," he said
He suggested the government and its agencies already have powers to
combat extremism but had failed to tackle groups that fall below the
threshold of being terrorists.
He said Whitehall "has more power to tackle extremism than it sometimes thinks".
"After all, the Iranian government does not have an inalienable right to run schools and mosques in our capital city," he said.
"It
is not an unalterable democratic principle that Hamas and the Muslim
Brotherhood must be allowed to run a multitude of charities," he said.
"We have not betrayed democracy if extremists are no longer able to operate television channels."
