UK: Pro-Palestine students face expulsion for sharing Middle East Eye posts
A group of students at the University of Essex are facing potential expulsion after sharing a series of social media posts, including a video published by Middle East Eye marking the death of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh.
Last August, the University of Essex Students’ Union informed the university's Palestine Solidarity Society that it may have breached the student conduct code for allegedly "supporting a proscribed group".
The breach stems from concerns raised about posts shared on the society's Instagram page following the assassination of Haniyeh in Iran, and days later when Israel confirmed that it had killed the Hamas leader.
The university later formally informed six students involved with the society in September that they were under investigation for the Instagram posts and could face possible expulsion.
The University of Essex did not respond to multiple requests for comment at the time of writing.
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A document compiled by the university as evidence against the students and given to MEE showed it had based its investigation into the six students on several posts from its Instagram page.
Two posts included in the university's evidence bundle are from Middle East Eye's Instagram page.
One is a video clip of an interview with Haniyeh broadcast by Al Jazeera Arabic in July 2024, explaining Hamas's motivations in fighting Israel. Another is a photo carousel of notable commentators, including former Al Jazeera English director-general Wadah Khanfar, marking Haniyeh’s death.
'Grossly exaggerated response'
Other material in the evidence bundle includes posts from Palestinian content creator Subhi Taha and a news article by Qatar’s Doha News. None of the posts included any commentary from the Palestine Society and were reposts from other pages.
Email correspondence seen by Middle East Eye revealed that the Department of Education's Prevent coordinator for Essex had also informed the students' union about the society's posts on Haniyeh.
'I want to be a teacher after graduation and having a Prevent referral could show up on DBS checks and jeapardise everything I've worked for'
- Essex University student
David Layton-Scott from the Department of Education’s Prevent team contacted the University of Essex’s student union in August to inform it of posts made by the Palestine Solidarity Society.
The students' union also told the society that the posts had been reported to the police without telling it who was responsible for the complaint.
Despite Essex Police dropping the case against the students, the University of Essex continued its investigation against the six students.
The university states that it concludes investigations into student conduct breaches within 60 days. However, the society’s investigation has already lasted over 165 days, and further delays could potentially prevent the students from graduating on time.
The students being investigated could face suspension and expulsion if a panel finds they broke the university’s student conduct code.
Dubbed the "Essex Six", the group denied claims made by the university that their reposts were designed to incite or harass individuals on campus.
"The articles we reported were from recognised British news sources reporting on an internationally recognised illegal assassination," said the student, who wished to remain anonymous.
"The same terminology of 'martyr' that the university took issue with from quoted individuals in the Middle East Eye article were used by other organisations like the BBC when they covering the same event."
Another student facing possible expulsion is fearful that this will impact their goal of becoming a teacher one day.
"I am frightened for my future as I want to be a teacher after graduation and having a Prevent referral could show up on DBS checks and jeopardise everything I've worked for," said the student.
"I feel that it is a grossly exaggerated response to sharing news, especially as the university has no knowledge which of us had even made the posts."
Climate of repression
Last December, the UN special rapporteur on the rights to freedom of peaceful assembly and of association, Gina Romero, wrote to the University of Essex and condemned its actions towards the students.
"I have been receiving disturbing reports of alleged administrative harassment and persecution of members of the Palestine Solidarity Society at the @Uni_of_Essex for exercising their right to freedom of expression and association," Romero said on X.
'Public universities must stop defaming peaceful pro-Palestinian movements by labelling them as 'supporters of terrorism' for their demands for an end to genocidal violence'
- Gina Romero, UN special rapporteur
"Public institutions, including public universities, must stop defaming peaceful pro-Palestinian movements by labelling them as “supporters of terrorism” for their demands for an end to genocidal violence, apartheid and illegal occupation.
"Universities should review their regulations on hate speech and anti-Semitism and align them with international standards for the protection of freedom of expression. A critical political opinion, including expressions of political opposition to a government, or the pursuit of self-determination are protected under this right."
Campuses across the UK have witnessed intense pro-Palestine activism since the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023.
Dozens held encampments, inspired by similar types of protest in the United States, to protest against their university's investments and involvement with possible Israeli war crimes.
Last month, Sky News and Liberty Investigates revealed that dozens of universities had reported protesters to the police, started dozens of disciplinaries, and, in some instances, collaborated with private surveillance firms.
The investigation found that at least 40 universities discussed Gaza protest activity with police forces or private intelligence organisations, and 36 universities had direct communication with the police.
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