Salman Butt: I sued the government over 'extremism' and know the game Gove is playing | MEE Opinion

Michael Gove, the UK's secretary of state for levelling up, housing and communities, revealed a new definition of extremism earlier this week - despite criticisms from rights groups, senior Tory party members, Church of England leaders and even his own legal advisors.
Prior to the release of the government's new definition, three former home secretaries signed a letter warning against the politicising of anti-extremism; potentially because of a case Salman Butt, a Muslim public intellectual and the head of Islamic Thought at Islam21c, brought against the government.
In 2015, Butt was defamed as a so-called "extremist" in a 10 Downing Street press release, over which he took the government to court.
As well as a case for libel, our legal challenge also included a public law case arguing that the government has been acting unlawfully in its measures to counter so-called "extremism"; for which we currently await our day at the European Court of Human Rights.
Speaking to Middle East Eye, Butt says the British public should realise that Muslims are being used as "a political football in a race to the bottom to appeal to the worst xenophobic sentiments and racist myths using dog-whistle politics."
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[@ljt3084]

Everyone should see this. We are sleepwalking into Germany 1933.

[@Jon962-h4i]

What we now have are large communities settled in UK urban areas who support extremist views. This is not welcome.

[@thegasolinetree]

Very well articulated

[@youknow6968]

Beautifully explained.

[@normyousaf]

A master class delivery - VERY well written (and spoken) well done

[@StephenReynolds-jk7dv]

Good video. Antisemitism should apply to moslems of course, as Semite refers to a language group that includes Hebrew and Arabic. Israel has hijacked the phase as though antisemitism is he same as anti Zionism, it most certainly is not.. For the UK administration to claim that peace protesters are antisemitic and therefore anti Israel actually are committing antisemitism!

[@samantarmaxammadsaciid5156]

The family languages of the Middle East shouldn't have been named after names picked out of the Bibles, nor applied to any of the Afro-Asiatic languages by Euro-American linguistics, as it's nonfactual, that's unrelated to the peoples of the Afro-Asiatic speakers, especially in a time of majority of the Afro-Asiatic speakers are neither belong to Judaism nor Christianity, the last one who believe the Jewish Bibles! Therefore Semitic only applies to the Jews people!

[@MayorSom]

Is befitting term to describe them @@samantarmaxammadsaciid5156 Ashkenazi

[@Uliengue]

Thought police in the making, and the glee that Labour is signaling towards having it as it's new toy is troubling. No real opposition to it, instead they affirmed Gove wasn't going far enough

[@zanamahmud7753]

Proud of your brother need people like you.THANKS

[@toyotaprius79]

God bless courageous souls like his

[@michellenorris8471]

A significant legal precedent was set in the U.K. on the 5th of February 2024, when Professor David Miller won his unfair dismissal case against Bristol University. In summing up, the Judge included the statement:- ''Criticism of racism in Zionism is not antisemitic.'' Please note, that Prof. David Miller is in the process of helping to set up a legal advocacy help group.

[@YasirKhalid1]

So eloquently said!

[@jennifernorman9655]

Fantastic report. I especially appreciate your concluding remarks. We must strive to preserve these rights 😊

[@paulhirst9686]

Resistance is a British value.

[@Madmarkhor]

More like terrorism and deceit

[@justarandomguy6794]

Tf you mean by that?😂

[@Mahrud-f2q]

Well spoken and absolutely true 👍😊😊

[@Billy_Bull_Sheeter]

They didn't show this in the MSM. Good on this guy for sticking up for himself.

[@helengabr5743]

I never liked Gove. There is something really vicious about him 😠. Thank you 👍. I am so glad you fought back! You sound like a man of peace not anyone thst would cause trouble! 😅

[@naziirani2773]

Brilliant!!

[@michellenorris8471]

Thank you, Salman Butt, voices like yours have never been more important. Knowledge is power, please share this.

[@Free-Palestine-260]

Im an atheist and i fully support this message!

[@Rebelconformist82]

Same

[@Shahid-if4ws]

Well done, but read the Qur'an and hopefully you will reconsider faith in our Creator... Surah Al-Baqara, Verse 28: كَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ بِاللَّهِ وَكُنتُمْ أَمْوَاتًا فَأَحْيَاكُمْ ثُمَّ يُمِيتُكُمْ ثُمَّ يُحْيِيكُمْ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ How do you deny Allah and you were lifeless and He gave you life? Again He will cause you to die and again bring you to life; then you shall be brought back to Him. via iQuran

[@kumzarf]

Logical, succinct, Wonderfully articulated. Thank you.

[@EmmaVB82]

Very good piece. It chimes with an interview* I saw last week where Baroness Sayeeda Warsi was talking about Michael Gove having radicalised David Cameron about Muslims in her estimation… seeing the news today about his “extremism” legislation fleshes out some of what she was saying at the time. (* I think it was for James O’Brien’s Full Disclosure podcast, but I saw her do a couple of interviews so I could be wrong. As a long-time Jeremy Corbyn supporter I don’t agree with O’Brien on his stance towards him for a start, but on other topics I’ve found we’re somewhat more in agreement!)

[@Jon962-h4i]

Her name gives her natural perspective away. This wasn't an issue in the UK half a century ago, but it is now, and we can all see the reason for it. Is it any surprise that the population is starting to push back?

[@MakH-bu8zq]

​@@Jon962-h4ishame you don't know why the people of similar names ended up here time ago...still same old bombing murdering raping pillaging and destruction of far away lands out of greed doesn't leave them with much of a choice ...eduction 😢

[@noodlelicious.]

Never again is a farce.

[@thedarkness2635]

That was so masterfully intelligent. SubhanAllah. May Allah increase you, that was fantastic.

[@lilliankeane5731]

Yep i agree , the canary analogy explains it.

[@peetsnort]

Their accusations are confessions

[@HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings]

Mind Begs the Question: - When Governed by Politicians - Who justify,defend Starvation,Death Camps,Gassing/White Phosphorus,Ethnic Cleansing,etc - Governed by Righteous or Satanic?

[@Jon962-h4i]

Stated a representative of Hamas. lol

[@HumanBeingsRThinkingBeings]

Mind Begs the Question: - If a Israel PM/Govt - Publicly promoted funding Hamas - To avoid 2 State Solution - Condemns Hamas or Funds Hamas?

[@michellenorris8471]

@@Jon962-h4i Stated, a representative of an unashamed Zionist?

[@Madmarkhor]

​​@@Jon962-h4i stated a genocider

[@rubyfazil9136]

They are so scared

[@BencerCourt123]

The UK govt is a lapdog to US govt who is subservient to its ai pac masters.

[@jennifernorman9655]

Yes. This is clear to see, for anyone that cares to look. ❤🇵🇸🇾🇪🇿🇦🙏🏼

[@manivallipalli4527]

The UK is in serious trouble... Who will be in power in the Autumn in UK? Will they increase military aid to fuel the Genocide

[@H.Severloh]

Imagine feeling free in a western democracy

[@Christine-hr8in]

Pity Christians in a muSlime Cntries Can't Imagine feeling Free in a eastern sharia

[@farzanachoudhary9615]

​@@Christine-hr8in MAYBE DO SOME RESEARCH ON "SHARIA LAW" !! CHRISTIANS LIVING IN EASTERN COUNTRIES HAVE TO ABIDE BY THE COUNTY'S LAW THAT THEY LIVE IN, JUST LIKE MUSLIMS ABIDE BY THE LAWS OF THE WESTERN COUNTRIES THEY LIVE IN !! S I M P L E !!

[@iwatchwithnoads7480]

​@@farzanachoudhary9615yes and in fact, Christians opened their doors to Muslim armies and even acted as 5th column on behalf of Muslims. That's how bad Christians were persecuted under western Christian rule

[@Thefloristgang4pf]

@@Christine-hr8inDo you care about the Palestinian Christians being bombed, maimed and killed by the Israeli colonial regime aided and abetted by people like you?

[@M.saeed247]

Imagine not being able to put simple sentences together....learn some English...do some research...use your brain for once and do something good in your life..​@@Christine-hr8in

[@MJB0110]

Well said…

[@JaM-si6nb]

Thank you.

[@tiggtiggs]

Humanity is, a practice (not just our species) & the antidote to inhumanity. We are what we practice & reap what we sow. Choose wisely & practice well.🙏🧡

[@awol2602]

This is reasoned cogent and trustworthy.

[@hanunyafa]

Someone please tellme what British Values are?

[@tigrecito48]

Fascism apparently

[@Crazybaby2409]

Believing we can ride on the coattails of our archaic empire forever, in wilful denial of the damage we have and continue to cause, both to our own country now as well as abroad.

[@joenade7344]

British values.. colonise and pillage the world, then cry ‘Stop the Boats’ when refugees of our own making land on our shores.

[@yesme0001]

As reported in the MSM, ​@ThePaahchan Do you really believe that?

[@FreePizza007]

Rishi knows he's 💯 British. No doubt whatsoever. Generations if britishness he has 😅

[@NMPT777]

👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽

[@savascolakoglu7835]

, magnificent.... well told

[@gilabola4642]

Good ol douglas eh? No wonder

[@The_Sherpard]

The music is louder than his voice, reduce background music volume of the video

[@michellenorris8471]

Yes, for those of us with hearing issues, a reduction in the music volume would be appreciated.

[@happyhouse4948]

Is there a version available without the music in the background? Or with the music at a lower volume?

[@dianamaheux5503]

Ouh that is interesting

[@Sulayman.786]

So, the extremism unit of the home office takes lectures from extremist think tanks

[@not_mybrother7705]

They should end their restrictions on Hizb-ut-Tahrir. Let people who want to help lift people out of poverty without fattening up the corrupt and apathetic.

[@Abdullah_yunus_Farid]

Doesn't make much difference or perhaps any difference! MIGHT IS RIGHT!

[@AC_Milan1899]

Gove....there are many other 4 letter words to better address this ****

[@amathenderson7318]

😮It seems UK has its own form of the Patriot Act ... welcome to 1984 !!!

[@HayaatanTayyibah]

👍🏻

[@Harmony-f3i]

Truth at last. Please can we know more about your legal case against the current government in more detail. Please can full details be published and circulated and shared with all society so that people can wake up to Truths.

[@7khalili]

@4:21 lettuce 😂

[@pambennett8967]

Wow this is a great video

[@switzjon8405]

If being a Muslim is a religion, why is it used interchangeably like they are a race or a single racial group?

[@tigrecito48]

does anyone else think Steve Bannon looks like Vladimir Harkonnen from the original 1984 Dune movie?

[@hasanshikoh]

"Conspiracy theory".

[@fooddrinkfusion1013]

Michael Gove defends Steve Bannon in latest Trump puff piece 17 Jan 2017 - Michael Gove today defended 'alt-right' scribbler and Donald Trump strategy chief Steve Bannon, implying the former Breitbart editor

[@metapol118]

Revelation 17 v 15 to 18 says the time will come will the governments will scrap all religions

[@amelkatrin3464]

The background "ding-dong" is too loud and distracting (for me)

[@debratrebbne4632]

EVERY DAY is Thank a Conspiracy Theorist Day! Lol…being called a conspiracy theorist THESE days seems charming…or at least obvious now that it is just a sheepish way to silence folks who are dialed in and have meta analysis skills.

[@Jon962-h4i]

When people support Islamic extremists then its time to draw sides. If these people don't like what the government is doing them its also time to find a government that you do like.

[@joenade7344]

So I’m guessing you liked being lied to during covid lockdowns whilst the gov was having pissup parties?! It’s only a matter of time, they ban the truth here today tomorrow you will be called an extremist when you cry about family members dropping dead from white rubbery blood clots caused by a mass mrna pogrom. Just wait and see

[@ghareeb2]

The whole point of the video was to explain to bigots that "your turn will come when the government doesn't like your 'existence' either," so it's not in your best interest to be an Islamophobic bigot today while the government sells you the delusion that it's on your side. Yet, here you are, with the message having gone completely over your head. Team evil must keep some scumbags, I suppose.

[@edinahalilovic4248]

You would love that, wouldn't you? That all Muslim leave England, but that will never happen,you will have to live with it😂

[@michaeltaylor8835]

We aren't ib europe anymore so you won't get heard in the echr

[@JamalAzari-f7n]

BRITISH SPEAKERS WAS TALKING ABOUT RADICAL ISLAM, WHY DID YOU CONSIDERED THAT FOR ALL BRITISH MOSLEMS? YOU ARE UNCONSCIOUSLY ACCEPTING THAT ALL MOSLEMS ARE RADICAL MOSLEMS IN BRITAIN.

[@emmanuelbyiringiro7207]

Yeah. This guy is framing legislation as UK Government VS Muslims. It sems like islam is all about extremism

[@mistermood4164]

They don’t define extremism secondly private citizens should not be monitored unless you have proof of criminal intent.

[@ghareeb2]

The whole point of the video, besides explaining to you that your turn will come if you support the government's crackdown on an ethnic or religious group today, is to explain to you that "radical Islam" or "extremism" barely exists in Britain or anywhere else -- it is represented by an extreme minority everywhere. The terms aren't remotely well-defined. The terms represent whatever the government wants them to be, subjectively, at any given time.

[@Bluebull308]

Bullshitt propaganda

[@LightUponLight27]

this brother is on point

[@saadgoda1231]

Zi,oni st do,gs. The Zi oni st occupation agents of this country are still playing a ridiculous and funny theatrical role

[@Cyril-m6c]

Democrats is the result of the Trojan horse from the gentiles or Greece people,??😢 & persona 😢 is a Greek word that mean’s mask,?😢😢 , Very well spoken BROTHER 🙏 Peace & Blessings can only grow stronger like the trees that give us the air we breathe ALPHA AND OMEGA BLESSINGS FOREVER MORE AMEN 🙏 ONE LOVE ❤️🔥🔥🔥🙏🦁😃❤️💛💚🌍🦁🙏🔥🔥🔥🔥🙈🧟‍♀️🏴‍☠️🤡⛴️🔌💰🎶🐀👀🧘‍♀️🐉🌳👿🙈🙈🙈👋👋👋👋🤡🤡🤡👋🤡🤡👋🔥🔥🙏🤡🤡🦁🦁🦁