On Thursday, 30 October, King’s College London (KCL) students and external students protested outside of Strand Campus in solidarity with Usama Ghanem, who has faced expulsion from King’s for participation in various pro-Palestine protests.
The protest began at 1 pm, with many students gathered, refusing to be broadcast by Roar, as they expressed concerns about facing disciplinary action, despite the majority wearing extensive face coverings.
KCL Students for Justice for Palestine, CAGE International and KCL Stands for Justice were the lead promoters of the protest, alongside other London University pro-Palestine societies.
Protestors chanted: “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “1234, occupation no more. 5678 Israel is a terrorist state.”
No violence was reported and two police officers were present at the protest.
Usama Ghanem was indefinitely suspended from King’s in May, with reports from Novara Media that the University has also withdrawn its sponsorship of his student visa, placing him at risk of deportation.
In an Instagram reel published by CAGE International, Ghanem shared his and his family’s experience of imprisonment and torture by Egyptian authorities in 2020 – a trauma that led to his diagnosis of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), of which KCL was aware.
A petition has been launched, which at the time of writing has 380 signatures. The aims are to: reinstate his student status and visa sponsorship; to stop all disciplinary actions against students participating in lawful protests; and to uphold KCL’s commitment to free speech, justice and human rights.
“Silencing students who speak out against oppression is unacceptable. Universities must not become tools of political pressure — they should be safe places for learning and conscience” – Taken from the online petition
A King’s College London spokesperson said:
“We want to make it absolutely clear that we do not discipline students for lawful affiliations, including support for pro-Palestine views, nor for participating in lawful protests. Any disciplinary measures are taken solely in response to breaches of our policies and regulations which are in place to maintain a safe and inclusive environment on campus for everyone. The safety and wellbeing of our students and staff is our highest priority and proportionate action is only undertaken following a robust investigation, conducted in line with our policies and procedures, and only when behaviour has been found to be in breach of these regulations. We are proud of our long history of upholding the right to freedom of expression and the right to lawful protest. Many peaceful protests, vigils, and events that reflect our diverse student body have been—and will continue to be—held at King’s.”
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