A 12-year-old boy is under scrutiny by counter-extremism officers [1] after expressing his belief in ‘only two genders.’ The child, in an online video, asserted, ‘There’s no such thing as non-binary,’ and clarified, ‘(I’m) gay, not queer.’
The school reportedly notified the boy’s mother of their intent to refer him to Prevent, the Home Office program aimed at combatting radicalization, citing concerns about potential far-right influence. Allegations of radicalization risks were outlined by officers.
And whatever you do don’t forget this Council are spending money on chasing a boy of 12 because he dare to say a biological fact that there are only two genders welcome to Great Britain and welcome to South tyneside trans ideology Woke city council
Hope your council tax hasn’t… pic.twitter.com/dfOpByEcZ4 [2]— Getting Britain Moving (@UKAndNIasOne) June 29, 2024 [3]
The mother revealed that her son faced anti-Semitic abuse and made remarks about groups he believed should not exist, like Hamas. Additionally, concerns were raised over his demonstration of a toy crossbow in a video uploaded by his mother.
Critics condemned the response, labeling it a misdirected effort instead of focusing on real threats. The LGB Alliance praised the boy’s conviction in his beliefs and called out the authorities for targeting his rejection of the term ‘queer.’
“If it’s a sign of radicalisation to say you don’t like being called ‘queer’ then according to our research, 94 per cent of LGB people can expect a knock on the door from counter-terrorism officers… We applaud this young boy for standing up for his beliefs, and we condemn the teachers and police who think it’s wrong to abhor this horrible slur.” – Kate Barker, LGB Alliance Chief Executive
The Home Office’s Prevent strategy, designed for early terrorism intervention, saw increased referrals in the latest data. Police emphasized the confidentiality of Prevent referrals and their focus on safeguarding against radicalization.