Levels of harassment ‘pose serious threat to our way of life’, adviser says

Chilling” levels of harassment are posing a “serious threat to our democratic way of life”, the Government’s independent social cohesion adviser has warned.

Ahead of her review which is to be published on Monday, Dame Sara Khan has revealed that polling for her report found more than 75% of the public feel they have to refrain from speaking their mind.

Some 27% have changed their way of life from employing security to moving jobs or house.

As part of her review, Dame Sara is recommending the establishment of an exclusion zone for protests outside schools.

This follows the case of a religious studies (RS) teacher at Batley Grammar School in West Yorkshire who went into hiding three years ago after they showed a caricature of the Prophet Mohammed during a lesson.

It’s not about banning groups, it’s about ensuring that our laws are robust enough, our police are looking at harassment cases more effectively

Sara Khan

According to The Sunday Times, the recommendation is for a ban of all forms of protest activity within 150 metres of schools, except striking teachers on picket lines.

Dame Sara told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “It’s a shocking example, it still shocks me today, that in our democracy, in this day and age, the fact that a teacher just in the course of his duty was forced into hiding because he was delivering a legitimate educational lesson with no malicious intent.”