The Government's official definition of Islamophobia is already having a chilling effect on free speech. South Wales Police went even further, instructing officers to record any incident that went beyond "legitimate" discussion of Islam. But why should a police officer get to decide what constitutes "illegitimate" discussion of a religion in a country without blasphemy laws? The Free Speech Union threatened South Wales Police with legal action unless it withdrew the guidance, and Claire Coutinho wrote to the Chair of the Equality and Human Rights Commission. The force has now confirmed that it has paused the guidance. The Government's definition is a gold-embossed invitation for public bodies to go even further than ministers in stifling legitimate criticism and debate about Islam. As Claire tells FSU Director of Research and Policy David Rose, if an officer records an incident on the basis that your comments went beyond "legitimate" discussion of Islam, that could appear on an enhanced DBS check and potentially affect your employment prospects. That is effectively the reintroduction of non-crime hate incidents through the back door. There is no democratic mandate for this. Watch the full episode on the FSU YouTube channel 👇