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#Quilliam styled itself as a "think-tank" but served to only amplify & promote pseudo-science such as CVE & anti-Muslim conspiracy theories. It received millions from right-wing groups & worked with the state to criminalize Muslim communities https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-quilliam-foundation-controversial-counter-extremist-closes
Quilliam was established in 2007 & supported the U.K. govt’s discriminatory #Prevent strategy. Prevent has been criticized by govt officials, human rights experts, academics, teachers, & community organizers for securitizing & criminalizing Muslims. https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-quilliam/
Quilliam has “long argued for a tougher line on non-violent extremism.” In 2015, Quilliam’s Managing Director Haras Rafiq, criticized the Prevent strategy for not doing enough. https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2015/dec/06/east-london-muslims-prevent-strategy
#Quilliam stated its funding came from “private individual donations, private philanthropic foundations and trust grants.” In 2009 testimony before the House of Commons, Ed Husain stated the think-tank received £850,000 per year from the British govt
A 2016 investigation found that Sam Harris, who has stated “we are war with Islam,” & supported the profiling of Muslims, gave #Quilliam $20,000. https://medium.com/insurge-intelligence/the-quilliam-foundation-is-financed-by-tea-party-conservatives-investigated-by-sam-harris-1e43d54f0bee
In 2013, the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, identified as part of the Islamophobia network, gave Quilliam $75,000. https://www.opendemocracy.net/en/opendemocracyuk/problem-with-quilliam-foundation/
In 2010, a Guardian article revealed that a document prepared by #Quilliam was sent to a top British security official, accusing a number of “Muslim groups, politicians, a television channel & a Scotland Yard unit of sharing the ideology of terrorists.” https://www.theguardian.com/uk/2010/aug/04/quilliam-foundation-list-alleged-extremism
Along with feeding baseless claims to Breitbart, Quilliam has also worked with the Henry Jackson Society, a right-wing anti-Muslim think tank whose founder has said: "conditions for Muslims in Europe must be made harder across the board.” https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-henry-jackson-society/
Additionally, Quilliam also worked with the Gatestone Institute, a platform for the far-right that publishes a stream of dangerous anti-Muslim propaganda “focused on stoking fears about immigrants and Muslims.” https://bridge.georgetown.edu/research/factsheet-gatestone-institute/
We all remember tht press conference w/ Nawaz & Tommy Robinson of the far-right EDL. Robinson announced he was stepping down from EDL, a move tht Quilliam took credit for. In 2015 Robinson alleged that Quilliam had paid him “thousands of pounds to resign.” https://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2015/12/03/tommy-robinson-claims-quilliam-paid-him-to-leave-edl_n_8710834.html
Most recently Quilliam released a report on grooming gangs where it claimed 84% of “grooming gang offenders” were Asian. Actual experts in the field debunked Quilliam's claims noting the flawed methodology the organization employed in its report https://twitter.com/miqdaad/status/1380535381259657220?s=20
Quilliam pushed racist & conspiratorial claims, which greatly harmed Muslims in the UK and abroad. Its co-founder, Nawaz, has promoted QAnon conspiracy theories & claimed the 2020 US election was "stolen."
Thankful that it has ceased operations.
Thankful that it has ceased operations.
