By Maryam Jameela, originally posted on The Canary
Counter-terror raids are one part of the government’s approach to state security. But, there’s one crucial aspect which is being overlooked. That’s the impact such raids have on families who face heavy-handed tactics from police forces. As part of the Investigations Unit’s #ResistBigBrother series, we’ve been working with CAGE to bring forward the real impact of the hostile environment for British Muslims.
Business as usual
Over the summer of 2020, a number of addresses were raided by counter-terror police. A Guardian report at the time of the raid said:
Police said two east London addresses were raided and at one a man aged 27 was arrested. At a second address in east London a man aged 31 and male aged 17 were detained. In Leicestershire police arrested a man aged 32.
Since this raid, at least one man has been convicted after an operation from the Metropolitan police and MI5. CAGE told The Canary:
With regards to the raids, there were two in East London, impacting the same family. Two brothers were arrested in the Ilford premises and a third brother in a separate East London premises. Of the two from Ilford, one was released NFA [no further action], the other was charged. Our client is the man who was released on NFA and his family. We don’t represent the charged men in this case.
Forced entry into premises to conduct an arrest or carry out a search warrant are commonplace. However, these raids are also happening in the context of tensions from government-led Islamophobia, rejections of Islamophobia as a type of racism, and suspicion of Muslims. Tactics that fall under the umbrella of counter-terror strategy, then, require a closer look.
Read more here
Image used courtesy of Unsplash/Phil Hearing
<h4><em>By Maryam Jameela, originally posted on <a href="https://www.thecanary.co/investigation/2021/04/08/aftermath-of-counter-terror-raid-takes-toll-on-muslim-family/">The Canary</a></em></h4>
<em>Counter-terror raids are one part of the government’s approach to state security. But, there’s one crucial aspect which is being overlooked. That’s the impact such raids have on families who face heavy-handed tactics from police forces.</em>
<em>As part of the Investigations Unit’s #ResistBigBrother series, we’ve been working with <a href="https://www.cage.ngo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">CAGE</a> to bring forward the real impact of the <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2018/aug/27/hostile-environment-anatomy-of-a-policy-disaster" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">hostile environment</a> for British Muslims.</em>
<h3>Business as usual</h3>
Over the summer of 2020, a number of addresses were <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-53363574" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">raided</a> by counter-terror police. A <em>Guardian</em> report at the time of the raid <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2020/jul/09/four-men-arrested-by-counter-terrorism-police-over-potential-attack" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">said</a>:
<blockquote>
<p class="css-6ebghe">Police said two east London addresses were raided and at one a man aged 27 was arrested. At a second address in east London a man aged 31 and male aged 17 were detained. In Leicestershire police arrested a man aged 32.</p>
</blockquote>
Since this raid, at least one man has been <a href="https://news.met.police.uk/news/man-convicted-of-plotting-terror-attack-following-met-and-mi5-operation-423186?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=Subscription&utm_content=current_news" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">convicted</a> after an operation from the Metropolitan police and MI5.
CAGE told <em>The Canary:</em>
<blockquote>With regards to the raids, there were two in East London, impacting the same family. Two brothers were arrested in the Ilford premises and a third brother in a separate East London premises. Of the two from Ilford, one was released NFA [no further action], the other was charged.
Our client is the man who was released on NFA and his family. We don’t represent the charged men in this case.</blockquote>
Forced entry into premises to conduct an arrest or carry out a search warrant are commonplace. However, these raids are also happening in the context of tensions from government-led <a href="https://www.middleeasteye.net/opinion/why-uk-government-should-not-be-allowed-define-islamophobia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Islamophobia</a>, rejections of Islamophobia as a type of <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/news/2019/may/15/uk-ministers-criticised-rejecting-new-definition-islamophobia" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">racism</a>, and <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/jun/04/theresa-may-british-values-muslims-terror-threat" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">suspicion</a> of Muslims. Tactics that fall under the umbrella of counter-terror strategy, then, require a closer look.
<h3><em>Read more <a href="https://www.thecanary.co/investigation/2021/04/08/aftermath-of-counter-terror-raid-takes-toll-on-muslim-family/">here</a></em></h3>
<em>Image used courtesy of Unsplash/<a href="https://unsplash.com/photos/xBNaf9VL8Es">Phil Hearing</a></em>
