Student Palestine societies back bid to deproscribe Hamas

University Palestine and Islamic societies from across England and Wales have endorsed a controversial legal challenge to remove Hamas from the UK's list of banned terrorist organisations, comparing the group's proscription to historic injustices such as slavery.

The 18 societies have signed a letter backing Riverway Law, the firm acting for Hamas in an application to the Home Secretary to lift the group’s proscription under the Terrorism Act 2000.

Earlier this month, Riverway filed a 106-page submission arguing that Hamas poses “no threat to the UK people” and, thus, should not be proscribed. Eighteen British citizens were killed during the Hamas massacres in southern Israel on October 7 2023.

But Student societies from the London School of Economics (LSE), City University, the University of Leeds, University College London (UCL), the University of Birmingham, Aston University and the University of the West of England have signed a letter endorsing the application.

The letter, which was posted on Instagram at the end of last week, likened the listing of Hamas to other “grave injustices” in British history, including the slave trade, colonialism, and support for apartheid South Africa.

The letter in support of Riverway's application was signed by 18 groups from campuses across England and Wales[Missing Credit]

It also claims that proscribing Hamas has “created an atmosphere where Palestinian advocacy becomes a legal risk” and asserts that the ban has had a “chilling effect,” citing incidents they claim are part of a wider strategy of suppression “targeting students, especially Muslims and Palestinians.” Riverway’s application, they say, seeks to challenge what they call the “misuse of proscription.”

The letter continued: "We've seen this before. The British government has been forced to reverse its position on grave injustices: the slave trade, the colonisation of a quarter of the world and support for South African apartheid.

"In each case, it was public pressure that brought change. We see ourselves in the legacy of that tradition."

The students insisted that their support for the application is "not an endorsement of any group, but to protect the civic space essential for academic freedom and open inquiry." The post about the letter includes a “disclaimer” that the statement “does not constitute an endorsement of Hamas or any affiliated entity.”

On Sunday evening, several students apparently involved in the letter appeared on an Instagram livestream with Riverway’s director, Fahad Ansari, hosted by an anti-Israel social media influencer who goes by the name neezo87.

One activist, who identified themself as a Birmingham student active in the Birmingham Liberated Zone and the Friends of Palestine Society, claimed supporting the letter was part of the broader fight against British institutions.

"The UK is a police state, there is no questioning that. We are on our way to following the footsteps of America being a fascist state,” the student said.

She went on: "Every weapon that we have, we must use it against the institution" 

"The little power we have we are going to use it."

Meanwhile, a masked participant, who said he was part of the University of Leeds Students Against the Apartheid, claimed the group had signed the letter because "we believed that the justified armed resistance of a people who have been occupied... shouldn't be criminalised".

He said the group understood "the colonial nature of terror designations" and their support was intended "to show resistance is legitimate".

Another member of Birmingham Liberated Zone thanked Ansari for "setting a precedent" with the application.

Ansari told the students that it was they who were "on the front lines with this," adding that the Gaza protests on campuses had "motivated and inspired" his firm to act.

"Maybe there’s not a lot of people who are outwardly supporting this application," the student responded, "but we’re here to stand for the truth," adding that he was proud to "stand with the statement in a pivotal moment in history".

Social media neezo87 hosted a livestream conversation with Riverway’s director, Fahad Ansari, and three activists who said they went to Leeds and Birmingham (Photo: Instagram)[Missing Credit]

Elsewhere on the stream, Ansari stated that the firm was trying to “push the boundaries of what is deemed permissible,” and stated: “What we are doing is absolutely legal, lawful, ethical, moral, Islamic, it ticks all the boxes.”

Meanwhile, Neezo called for viewers to “give a little” to the Palestinian cause, naming “money and freedom” as two things that could be sacrificed.

The influencer told his 19k followers: “Those who are standing their ground are going to be rewarded according to that level of courage.”

The student support for the controversial application comes after the Conservative shadow justice secretary called for the lawyers acting on behalf of Hamas to be investigated and potentially struck off.

Robert Jenrick demanded “a thorough and transparent investigation” of Riverway Law by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA).

In a letter to the watchdog, Jenrick said there is “a clear need to uphold public confidence in the legal profession and to ensure rigorous enforcement of the UK sanctions regime”.

After making the application, several posts from Ansari related to the war in Gaza have been unearthed, including one which claims Hamas is a “legitimate resistance movement” protecting Palestinians from “UK-sanctioned genocide” and that the terror group is “more popular than ever before”.

Commenting on the JC’s enquiry, Neezo clarified: "‘Every weapon’ doesn't mean guns and bombs. It means every avenue or method we can use to oppose complicity in the ongoing genocide. Such as boycotts, encampments, protests, petitions, fundraisers, etc.

"Humanitarian aid has been blocked since the start of Ramadan (early March 2025). People are on the verge of famine. Fundraisers to help support those trapped inside can help sustain life that little bit longer.”

He explained that in stating ‘Those who stand their ground’, he meant “People who conscientiously stand up for what's right and oppose wrongdoing. So those who stand against the killing of all innocent people as oppose to just speaking about one particular group's suffering.”

“Many revolutionaries went through struggle and hardship and faced opposition and were labelled as bad or immoral people,” Neezo said. 

Ansari responded to a comment request criticising the JC for questioning "the strategies of those seeking to end the Israeli genocide of Palestinians".

All universities and societies were approached for comment.

A UCL spokesperson said: “This group is not an affiliated society of Students' Union UCL or UCL. We have communicated to our community that Hamas is a proscribed organisation (here) and that any expressions of support for the group and its activities may be a criminal offence."

A Leeds spokesperson said: “We are not in a position to comment as Leeds Students Against Apartheid Coalition is not a student society affiliated with Leeds University Union.”