THE government’s Prevent strategy is being called into question yet again after police documents revealed that Extinction Rebellion (XR) had been designated an “extremist ideology.”
Human rights groups, politicians and activists were quick to condemn the inclusion of the non-violent movement in a guide produced by counter-terrorism police in south-east England.
The guide urged people to look out for anyone using “strong or emotive terms about environmental issues like climate change, ecology, species extinction, fracking, airport expansion or pollution.”
ANSELM ELDERGILL examines the difficulties surrounding freedom of expression
Digital ID means the government could track anyone and then limit their speech, movements, finances — and it could get this all wrong, identifying the wrong people for the wrong reasons, as the numerous digital cockups so far demonstrate, warns DYLAN MURPHY


