Home Office forced to defend anti-fracking groups from extremism claims
by Mark Townsend and Ian Cobain from on (#24SF2)
Government steps in after council and school identify campaigners as key risks under controversial Prevent programme
The Home Office has been forced to make it clear that anti-fracking campaigners should not be considered extremists after a council and a school in North Yorkshire used the government's counter-terrorism programme to target environmental protesters.
City of York council included anti-fracking activists in its Prevent programme, the controversial centrepiece of the government's strategy to tackle extremism and thwart terrorism. In response, the Home Office on Saturday issued a statement saying "support for anti-fracking is not an indicator of vulnerability" to extremism.
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