UK: Pro-Palestine students face expulsion for sharing Middle East Eye posts

A group of students at the University of Essex in the UK are facing expulsion for sharing a series of posts on social media, including a video from Middle East Eye commemorating the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. These posts have raised concerns about whether they violated the student code of conduct, particularly regarding allegations of "supporting banned groups." Furthermore, the university is taking these allegations very seriously, potentially impacting the students' academic futures.

The incident began last August when the University of Essex Students' Union informed the university's Palestine Solidarity Society that they may have violated the student code of conduct, citing alleged "support for banned groups." Specifically, the controversy stems from posts shared on the association's Instagram page after Haniyeh's assassination in Iran and days later after Israel confirmed it had killed the Hamas leader. This has led to an in-depth investigation by the university.

The university subsequently formally notified six students associated with the society in September that they were under investigation for the Instagram posts and could face expulsion. As evidence against the students, a document compiled by the university showed that its investigation into the six students was based on several posts on the Instagram page. Two of these posts were from Middle East Eye's Instagram page, including a video clip of Haniyeh giving an interview to Al Jazeera Arabic in July 2024, explaining Hamas's motivation for fighting Israel, and a photo collection commemorating Haniyeh's death featuring prominent commentators, including former Al Jazeera English Director-General Wadah Khanfar.

Other evidence included posts from Palestinian content creator Subhi Taha and a news article from Doha News in Qatar. Notably, none of these posts contained any commentary from the Palestine association, but were rather content reposted from other pages. Emails seen by Middle East Eye revealed that the "Prevent" coordinator for Essex County Council had also informed the student union about the association's posts about Haniyeh. The involvement of external agencies highlights the seriousness of the situation.

Despite the Essex Police dropping the charges against the students, the University of Essex is continuing its investigation into the six students. The student union also informed the association that the posts had been reported to the police, but did not disclose the identity of the reporter. The university stated that it would complete its investigation into student conduct violations within 60 days, but the investigation into the association has already lasted more than 165 days, and further delays could prevent students from graduating on time. The prolonged investigation is causing significant stress and uncertainty for the students involved.

If a committee finds that the students have violated the university's student code of conduct, they could face suspension and expulsion. The group of students, known as the "Essex Six," have denied the university's allegations that their reposts were intended to incite or harass individuals on campus. One student, who wished to remain anonymous, stated: "The articles we reported came from recognized British news sources and reported on an internationally recognized illegal assassination." The student also pointed out that the university objected to the use of the term "martyr," but other organizations, such as the BBC, used the same term when reporting on the same event.

Another student facing possible expulsion is concerned that it will affect their future goal of becoming a teacher. The student said: "I am afraid for my future because I want to be a teacher after I graduate, and a 'Prevent' referral could show up in a DBS check and jeopardize everything I have worked for." The student also added: "I think sharing news is an overreaction, especially considering the university doesn't even know which of us posted these posts." The potential long-term consequences of the investigation are a major concern for the students.

In December, the United Nations Special Rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, wrote to the University of Essex to condemn its actions against the students. Romero stated on X: "I have been receiving disturbing reports of alleged administrative harassment and persecution by the University of Essex against members of the Palestine Solidarity Association for exercising their rights to freedom of expression and association." She also emphasized: "Public institutions, including public universities, must stop defaming peaceful pro-Palestine movements, labeling them as 'supporters of terrorism' for demanding an end to genocidal violence, apartheid and illegal occupation." Romero called on the university to review its regulations on hate speech and anti-Semitism to bring them into line with international standards protecting freedom of expression. She emphasized that critical political views, including political opposition to governments or expressions in pursuit of self-determination, are protected by this right.

Since Israel launched its war on Gaza in October 2023, there has been intense pro-Palestinian activity on campuses across the UK. Inspired by similar protests in the United States, many students have held encampments to protest their universities' investments in and involvement in possible Israeli war crimes. Last month, Sky News and Liberty Investigates revealed that dozens of universities have reported protesters to the police, initiated dozens of disciplinary actions, and in some cases partnered with private monitoring companies. The investigation found that at least 40 universities had discussions with police or private intelligence organizations about Gaza protests, and 36 universities had direct communication with the police. This trend reflects a broader crackdown on pro-Palestinian activism in UK universities.