Campaign Against Arms Trade is listed among many other social justice campaigns which are named in a counter-terrorism police document distributed to medical staff and teachers as part of anti-extremism briefings. The document, which has been shared by the Guardian, also includes Greenpeace, Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament, Palestine Solidarity Campaign and other campaigning organisations.
All of these organisations are featured under the heading “left wing and associated single issue groups.”
The list also includes white nationalist and racist groups among others. The list was produced by Counter Terrorism Policing for the Prevent scheme. Prevent has been widely criticised for criminalising communities and accused of Islamophobia.
Andrew Smith of Campaign Against Arms Trade said:
The message that this appalling list sends is that if you care about social justice or oppose war, arms sales, discrimination or conflict then you can be included alongside white nationalists and neo-Nazi hate groups. Political policing has been a major problem, and this document takes things to a whole new level. It is yet another shameful attempt to repress dissent. This further discredits the fundamentally flawed Prevent scheme. It is long past time for police and government to stop criminalising democratic protest.
For further information please contact Andrew at media(at)caat·org·uk or call 020 7281 0297.
