Home Office Warns Mosques Could Lose Protective Security Funding Over Social Media Posts

The Home Office warned that places of worship applying for public funding to improve security could have their applications rejected if they “undermine the work” of the government or share the wrong posts on social media.

“Is it true that the Palestinian militant group Hamas was created by the Israeli government”

BBC

The protective security for mosques scheme allocates £40m annually, and ministers announced in February they had made a “record” £73.4 million in protective funding available to faith groups this year.

BBC

The Home Office said applications could be rejected if organizations that apply for funding are deemed to fall short of its new code of conduct, published on 13 May.

The code states that organizations “must be careful not to bring themselves into disrepute or otherwise undermine the work of the Home Office or wider government,” and it warns recipients about political language and the “legitimisation and endorsement of extremists.”

Imam Ibrahim Hussein, chair of Southport Mosque and Cultural Center, said, “They should not compromise the security of the whole community for words that have been said,” when asked about the new code of conduct.

Hussein warned that the scheme could have a chilling effect, saying people “have to hide their opinions because of fear that funding will be cut.”

Hyphen

Muslim Welfare House in Finsbury Park, north London, was attacked by anti-Muslim terrorist Darren Osborne, who drove a van into worshippers during Ramadan in June 2017.

Mohammed Kozbar, chair of the nearby Finsbury Park Mosque, said the masjid has never applied for Home Office security funding because they don’t “want to be controlled by the Home Office over what we say.”

The Home Office said unsuccessful applicants won’t be told why they have been snubbed but would be provided with the code of conduct and would be eligible to reapply immediately.

“Mosques could lose security funding if they ‘undermine’ government online Faith leaders and politicians have warned that the move, set out in a new code of conduct, could stifle free speech and endanger communities The Home Office has warned faith organisations applying for public funding to improve security that their applications could be rejected if they “undermine the work” of the government or share the wrong posts on social media”

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Crossbench peer Shaista Gohir said it was standard practice for organizations to have a social media policy, but she added that “Some of the guidance appears to be too stringent and goes into potentially undermining freedom of expression.”

Gohir also said “the criteria seems too broad in places that it could capture and label people negatively when they haven’t done anything wrong,” and she added that some of the wording in the code of conduct seemed “deliberately vague.”

The guidance states that organizations “must be free to make fair and balanced criticism of the schemes,” while also warning that mosques whose representatives criticise the scheme itself could find themselves refused help with safety measures.