Five years on, it’s time to push back against the damage caused by the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act

On the anniversary of the much-reviled ‘Prevent’ strategy becoming national law, Suhaiymah Manzoor-Khan examines how everyone from activist groups and migrants to vulnerable people and minorities have been affected, and how a coalition can be built to bring change

Extinction Rebellion has been added to the state's list of 'extremists' (Getty)

On 12 February 2015 the Counter-Terrorism and Security Act formally became British law.

Overnight, the much-reviled counter extremism policy, called “Prevent” became a statutory duty. It made public sector bodies legally responsible to stop “people being drawn into terrorism” and every employee obliged to “look out for signs of radicalisation”.

In other words, those working on the frontline of the principal institutions of the British welfare state – doctors, nursery carers, teachers and nurses – now found themselves forced to serve on behalf of the British security state instead.