Defend Palestine Activism in Schools
Challenge Education minister’s anti-palestine letter
IMPACT
- Raised £10,000 for the legal challenge against the Education Minister.
- Six months after issuing the claim, the government issued amended guidance to schools entitled Political Impartiality in Schools on how to deal with political issues, making special mention of Israel-Palestine.
- Supported students who were silenced for speaking about Palestine in their schools
BACKGROUND
Through our decades of work on Prevent, and after gathering data from hundreds of students, teaching staff and parents for our report ‘Repression of Palestine Solidarity in Schools’ (2021), we have always known there is an urgent need to protect the right to support Palestinian rights in British schools.
After thousands in Britain demonstrated their support for Palestinians in Jerusalem and Gaza, after the attacks in Gaza. This also triggered a response from Muslim students.
On 28 May, Education Minister Gavin Williamson issued a controversial letter to school leaders, which appeared to be a directive to school leaders to curtail pro-Palestinian support, while imposing a pro-Israel state-sponsored narrative.
We then got over 50 cases in one week of the disproportionate response from the headteachers/schools on the children's expression of solidarity, flags, free Palestine stickers and organising fundraisers were met with detentions, suspension, exclusions and in some cases police involvement.
Williamson's letter solidified and rubber stamped the approach schools were taking, and this triggered our legal action. We also assisted over 50 families at this time.
REVIVE DIVINE JUSTICE
Media and Resources
Insights from our investigations and research
What Imams and survivors say about us?
“CAGE is like Al Mu’tasim for me. They hear the cry of injustice and they respond. I ask everyone to donate to CAGE whatever you can; because they stood by me when no one did.”
Sister Maryam
“It might be better than supporting 10 da’is or scholars because they cannot do their job properly without an organisation that protects Islam and Muslims."
Shaykh Dr Haitham Al Haddad
"Torture survivor Ali Al-Marri: “I encourage you very highly to support our brothers at CAGE whom have supported me, and without Allah’s support and theirs I would have never been able to try and get my Justice from the ones who tortured me.”
Ali Al-Marri
“I extend my heartfelt thanks and support for the work of CAGE on behalf of all men and women detained without charge or trial in Guantanamo and the secret prisons. Your work is truly inspirational”.
Sami Al-Hajj
“I believe CAGE deserves to put up a signboard and write on it, honour bound to defend freedom.”
Faiz Al-Kandari
"CAGE’s work is a reminder to us all that indifference or neutrality to injustice is never an option, that the empathic disconnect in remaining silent to another's suffering is too heavy a burden for us all to bear.”
Dr Uthman Lateef
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