the tories and islamophobia

May's obsessive recognition that Islamophobia is a form of extremism was muddied by her proposed solutions: a package of draconian powers including new anti-terror powers for police and security services; the creation of a new statutory body, a Commission for Countering Extremism (CCE); and more stringent internet controls.

Conservative Party sources familiar with the proposals have said that the new anti-terror offences would allow police to target extremists who endorse "radical views but stop short of advocating violence".

In other words, the Tories want the power to police our thoughts so they can criminalize 'extremist' ideas which don't endorse violence.
But the absurd consequences of such amorphous definitions of 'non-violent extremism' have already occurred under Prevent, the government's domestic counter-extremism program. Even normal students have been labelled by police as being 'at risk' of "domestic extremism" just for "attending protests, sympathizing with occupations and making demands on issues such as a living wage for university staff and an ethical investment policy."

The CEE, whose planned role would be to identify extremists, counter their messages and promote pluralistic values, would be hopelessly hobbled under such an amorphous conception of extremism.

The Tories want the power to police our thoughts so they can criminalize 'extremist' ideas.
And extending such thinking into internet regulation threatens forms of censorship that could empower an already unaccountable security establishment -- the result would be expanded mass surveillance that would routinely red-flag people skeptical of government, but be useless in identifying real terrorists.

Yet the unsuspecting British public is largely unaware of the fact that Theresa May's proposals will do nothing -- literally nothing -- to address the fundamental drivers behind the incubation of violent extremism in Britain.