Prevent officers 'aware' of Swanmore College pupils sharing beheading videos

It comes after The News reported Swanmore College pupils had been warned about sharing the extreme videos on social networking site Discord.

Now officers from the South East Regional Organised Crime Unit have spoken out about the incident.

Counter-terror officers in the Prevent scheme have been alerted after it was reported to Hampshire police.

A Serocu statement said: ‘We can confirm that Prevent officers have been made aware of an incident involving videos being shared through an online gaming platform, which was reported to Hampshire Constabulary.

‘At the moment, we are particularly aware of a potential increased risk of online radicalisation as people are spending more time online, and often the most vulnerable in our society can be the most susceptible.

‘We need the public’s help to tackle this.

‘If you notice a change in behaviour in someone close to you, which you’re concerned about, please trust your instincts and ACT early. You can report any concerns via your local police force on 101 and can get further information on the ACT Early website.’

As reported, parents at the 1,300-pupil school were told about concerns over the ‘extremist videos’ containing ‘shocking footage of people being beheaded’.

A message from the Editor, Mark Waldron

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