Watchdog reports dozens of charities to police over extremism concerns

More than 30 charities have been reported to the police by the official regulator over concerns about extremism and hate speech in the wake of the October 7 attacks, The Sunday Telegraph can disclose.

This newspaper understands that the bodies are among more than 100 now being investigated by the Charity Commission over alleged rule breaches relating to the Israel–Hamas conflict. Those cases include sermons delivered at mosques run by registered charities, as well as articles and videos posted online.

It can also be revealed that the Charity Commission has added the Government’s new definition of extremism to its guidance outlining unacceptable activities. Extremism is defined as “the promotion or advancement of an ideology based on violence, hatred or intolerance” that aims to negate or destroy the rights of others or undermine democracy.

Robert Jenrick, the former communities secretary, described the figures as evidence of a “shameful new high–water mark of anti–Jewish and anti–British sentiment within our country”.

The disclosures come after Rishi Sunak warned earlier this month of a “shocking increase in extremist disruption and criminality” in recent months.

Spike in extremist activity

In response to a spike in extremist activity linked to charities in the wake of Oct 7, Orlando Fraser, the Charity Commission’s chairman, warned in this newspaper in November that charities “must not allow their premises, events or online content to become forums for hate speech against any community or unlawful extremism.”

In December, The Sunday Telegraph revealed that the Charity Commission was investigating 70 organisations for alleged extremism or anti–Semitism relating to the Israel–Hamas conflict. That figure now exceeds 100, this newspaper understands, with cases involving 30 separate charities having been reported to police by the Charity Commission.

It is understood that, following interventions by the watchdog, some charities have removed online material and suspended staff or contractors. In other cases, organisations have removed themselves as signatories of open letters relating to the Israel–Hamas conflict.

Charity Commission inquiries into activities relating to the conflict include an investigation into Al–Manar Centre Trust, a charity set up to advance “Islamic education” and “religious harmony”.

The Commission has said that a video which “could suggest support for Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation” was posted on the charity’s Facebook page in November.

It has since been removed and the charity’s trustees have “taken steps to improve their social media protocols”, while an inquiry is underway, the Charity Commission said.

Mr Jenrick said: “We have reached a shameful new high–water mark of anti–Jewish and anti–British sentiment within our country. From universities to public sector bodies, and now charities, our institutions have been infected by warped extremists: the racist ‘anti–racists’ and the supposed ‘social justice activists’ that valorise Islamist terrorists.

“The abuse of charities to hide extremists in plain sight and enable their activities at taxpayers’ expense must be rooted out immediately.”

‘Hate speech’

Senior ministers are concerned that some extremists are being “legitimised” by their association with charities and state bodies, with Michael Gove, the Communities Secretary, warning in Parliament earlier this month that “figures of potential extremism concern have been able to work with the Crown Prosecution Service and the Metropolitan police, co–opt charities and benefit from public funding.”

By the end of November 2023, only weeks after the Oct 7 attacks in which Hamas killed 1,200 Israelis, the National Secular Society had reported 44 charities to the Charity Commission for publishing extremist lectures, social media posts and other online content in the wake of the massacre.

Writing in this newspaper in November, Mr Fraser said: “The Charity Commission is aware of a significant number of serious concerns about activities linked to the conflict in Israel and Gaza. These include charities representing communities across the religious divide, although these, to date, largely concern allegations of anti–Semitic or hate speech.

“Charities must not allow their premises, events or online content to become forums for hate speech against any community or unlawful extremism. The Charity Commission will not stand by and permit charities to be abused in this way. Where there proves to have been wrongdoing, make no mistake, we will deal with it robustly.”