Efus and discriminatory violence, radicalisation and extremism

Part 1

Efus and discriminatory violence, radicalisation and extremism

Since its foundation more than 30 years ago, Efus has been working on the issues of marginalisation and discrimination because they have a direct impact on the security of our cities and the peaceful coexistence of citizens. They affect not only the individuals targeted but also their surroundings and ultimately society as a whole.1 Experience shows that the erosion of social cohesion fuels insecurity. Thus, one of Efus’ founding principles is to consider that security is not exclusively the responsibility of the police or justice systems, and that it requires a holistic approach, i.e. one that takes into account all the factors that contribute to delinquency and the feeling of insecurity among citizens. This is why it is necessary to strengthen prevention in addition to legal and penal responses, and to mobilise all the actors who participate to one degree or another in the design and implementation of responses to insecurity as well as solutions to prevent it.

Growing intolerance and the rise of social networks

Manifestations of racism (religious, racial or ethnic), xenophobia and other forms of intolerance are a daily reality in all EU member states.2 In recent years, this has increased at an alarming rate, especially among young people, with the rise of the internet and social networks allowing frustration and anger to be expressed as never before. Numerous studies3 have shown that online spaces represent a very effective platform for the dissemination of hateful content and extremist ideologies: extremist individuals or groups use the grievances of the population to promote violence as a legitimate means to achieve something

1- See in particular Efus (2017). Prévenir les violences discriminatoires au niveau local : pratiques et recommandations, publication résultant du projet européen Just and Safer Cities for All (JUST). 2- FRA (2013). Note d’information de la FRA : Les crimes motivés par la haine et les préjugés au sein de l’UE. 3- Von Behr, I., Reding, A., Edwards, C., & Gribbon, L. (2013). Radicalisation in the digital era: The use of the internet in 15 cases of terrorism and extremism. Rand Europe (2013). ww - a response from the EEA and Norway Grants, EEA Grants, Norway Grants.

better (more power, money, respect, social recognition, religious discipline, etc.). For example, one such study, Explaining the Emergence of Echo Chambers on Social Media: The Role of Ideology and Extremism by Jonathan Bright4, shows that “political party groupings which are further apart in ideological terms interact less, and that individuals and parties which sit at the extreme ends of the ideological scale are particularly likely to form echo chambers”. Furthermore, the spread of fake news and disinformation campaigns on social networks has the effect of fuelling hatred and intolerance, and represents a threat to the European values of democracy and freedom.

Promoting citizen participation

Faced with this protean and omnipresent threat to social cohesion, Efus believes that the necessary response is to mobilise citizens, and in particular young people, in the development and dissemination of positive messages based on the values of our democratic societies and which encourage reflection. It is important to both populate the virtual space with messages that promote fundamental rights and democratic values, and to develop citizens’ resilience to hate and/or extremist speech, particularly among young people, who can play a leading role in building a more tolerant and multicultural society. It is necessary to respond to this challenge by mobilising different actors, especially young people who are the main (but not the only) users of social networks and who may be victims or perpetrators of discriminatory or extremist behaviour, both online or offline, in order to work with them and/or encourage them to work towards a more respectful digital space.

4- Bright, J. (2016). Explaining the Emergence of Echo Chambers on Social Media: The Role of Ideology and Extremism, SSRN Electronic Journal.

Furthermore, Efus considers that local and regional authorities can play a key role in prevention and in raising awareness among local and regional authorities and civil society. Since hate speech and extremist discourse are likely to emerge and spread in a polarised society, local and regional authorities are well placed to reduce polarisation and foster social cohesion, resilience and democratic progress. They are the level of governance closest to the citizens and the one they trust most. Moreover, as they have extensive skills in preventing violence and promoting social cohesion, they are key stakeholders in combating the effects of polarisation that can fuel conflict and radicalisation within municipalities. They are familiar with the practical realities and needs of local residents, and they have the capacity to mobilise the relevant local actors, especially the associations that work with the groups targeted by hate and/or extremist propaganda. For several years, Efus has been working intensively on the prevention of radicalisation and extremism leading to violence at the request of its member cities. Since 2013, it has led or been a partner in 10 European projects on these themes, including LOUD.5 The unique characteristic of the Efus approach is that it considers the fight against discrimination and discriminatory violence at the local level to be an effective way to prevent radicalisation and violent extremism. Efus believes that such an approach should be targeted at young people in particular, as they are the population group most vulnerable to extremism in all its forms, but also the group best placed to spread alternative messages among peers.

5- > IcARUS (Innovate AppRoaches to Urban Security) (2020–2024), which promotes an integrated and multidisciplinary evidence-based approach to urban safety > PACTESUR (Protect Allied Cities against TErrorism in Securing Urban aReas) (2019–2021) > BRIDGE (Building resilience to reduce polarisation and growing extremism) (2019–2020) > PRoTECT (Public Resilience using TEchnology to Counter Terrorism) (2018–2020) > PRACTICIES (Partnership Against Violent Radicalisation in Cities) (2017–2020) > PREPARE (Preventing Radicalisation through Probation and Release) (2017–2019) > Local voices (Local communication strategies to prevent extremism) (2017–2018) > Just and Safer Cities for All (2015–2017) > LIAISE I et II (Local Institutions against Violent Extremism) (2014–2017) > Efus was a partner in the BOUNCE project on resilience tools (2013–2015), run by the Belgian federal ministry for public service (‘FPS Interior’)

Youth groups supported by local and regional authorities develop local online campaigns

The Local Voices project, developed and piloted by Efus between 2017 and 2018, was based on these principles. It has enabled eight local and regional authorities in Belgium, France, Germany and Spain to develop local online alternative narrative campaigns that can be supported by credible local voices. The project thus recognised the key role of local authorities in disseminating positive alternative narratives. In addition, it provided recommendations for the development of local communication strategies for all interested local authorities. In the same vein, the MATCH-SPORT project, developed by Efus between January 2019 and December 2020, aims to combat discrimination and intolerance in amateur sport at the local level, with the objective of eliminating violence. Its intention is to strengthen social cohesion, civic values and citizens’ sense of belonging to their local community, on the basis that these are essential common assets in preventing political extremism where radicalism takes root. Like Local Voices, MATCH-SPORT is aimed first and foremost at young people as a primary prevention measure; this is also because they are both the primary targets of those who seek to stir up hatred and the best defenders against it when they join forces and spread messages of tolerance in their online and offline networks.

Another example of Efus’ approach is the BRIDGE project (January 2019–December 2020), which seeks to prevent and combat polarisation at the local level. Again, Efus sees the weakening of social cohesion as a key factor in facilitating polarisation and radicalisation leading to violent extremism. Indeed, numerous studies6 show that such a weakening is a breeding ground for the ‘us versus them’ thinking that un-

6- Brandsma, B. (2017). Polarisation: Understanding the Dynamics of Us Versus Them, RAN Polarisation Management Manual. Radicalisation Awareness Network.

derlies the polarisation of society. Such polarisation in turn provides a breeding ground for radicalisation. As with all the projects that Efus is developing and implementing, the three mentioned above are focused on the local level. They deal with transnational phenomena, which today are widely propagated at exponential speed via the internet. However, they are also very local: it is at the level of a town or a neighbourhood that citizens encounter discrimination, intolerance and the polarisation of opinions and attitudes. And it is local authorities that are on the front line of curbing extremist tendencies and promoting social cohesion and tolerance among all residents as best they can. This is why the LOUD project sought to give local authorities concrete tools for young citizens to produce alternative narrative campaigns that are both online, i.e. accessible to all, and local, i.e. rooted in the reality on the ground. In this sense, this project illustrates a well-known adage that perfectly sums up Efus' positioning: Think Globally, Act Locally.