Demonstration against the Far-Right threat in London tomorrow. Brent Council assesses the threat of current events to social cohesion in the borough

The TUC, many trade unions and community organisations have come together to roganise tomorrow's demonstration against the far right. In the summer many such organisations came together to demonstrate community solidarity against the far right following the riots. One such gathering took place in Harrow. LINK

The risk to Community Cohesion figures for the first time in the Brent Strategic Risk report and comes near the top:

Putting Prevent at the top of Key Controls/Mitigating Action is likely to be controversial due to distrust in some communities of its underlying assumptions:

 

Brent had a higher rate of population growth than London and England from 2011 to 2021 Census. It also became more diverse over this period with smaller groups “Any other ethnic group seeing” 145% increase, followed by Arab (+57%). The three largest ethnic groups are Indian (19.5%), Other White (15.9%), and White British (15.2%). This rich diversity of the population brings opportunities for cohesion and unity, but it is not immune to the risks of community tension and conflict. With such a diverse community, we recognise that global events can have a local impact, creating tensions amongst otherwise communities that coexist peacefully. We are therefore mindful of tensions escalating and the possibility of violence disorder in Brent. Unchecked tensions can result in a breakdown in community cohesion and provide permissive environment for prejudice and extremism to thrive and escalate into terrorism.

 

The aftermath of the Israel-Hamas conflict since October 2023 has led to an increase in hate crimes, notably anti-Semitism and Islamophobia, reflecting heightened tensions within local communities. Protests by Palestine supporters and potential counter-protests by the Jewish community seen in September 2024 near Brent Civic centre was peaceful but such protests could serve as flashpoints for escalating tensions if not effectively managed.

 

The UK national threat level for Terrorism remains substantial and Brent experience complex risks and challenges. Brent has received targeted Home Office funding to respond to the risks of radicalisation and was recognised as a priority borough by the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government (MHCLG) for community cohesion. Persistent threats from extremist groups and the potential for reduced Prevent funding beyond March 2025 are major concerns, threatening the sustainability of initiatives aimed at preventing radicalisation, community safety and cohesion.

 

Recent far-right riots nationally and the conviction of a Brent based far-right supporter for terrorist offenses highlights Brent’s susceptibility to this threat. Muslim communities and Community sector partners have expressed significant fear following recent far-right riots, with local multi-faith forums and community engagement indicating a critical need for supportive interventions.

 

Key Controls/Mitigating Actions

 

Ensure effective delivery of preventing radicalisation and counter - terrorism work, overseen by the multi – agency – Prevent  Oversight Board, chaired at CMT level.

▪ Advocate for continued and increased funding to ensure the sustainability of crucial initiatives, reflecting Brent’s community cohesion risks.

▪ Broaden and strengthen the scope of community engagement into effective partnership arrangements to maintain community safety, with a particular focus on tackling extremism, prejudice hate crime and promoting cohesion. Optimising upon the support from Community Leaders, Key Organisations, Police, Multi-faith Forum’s and Schools.

▪ Continuously assess the impact of current initiatives and remain flexible to adapt strategies based on real-time community feedback and emerging challenges.

 

 Source LINK.