LONDON – Usama Ghanem, a 22-year-old Egyptian national who was suspended from King’s College London (KCL) last year due to his involvement in pro-Palestine demonstrations, has been allowed to return to complete his degree. The university lifted the suspension late last month, enabling Ghanem to finish the third and final year of his international studies program.
“We won,” Ghanem told Al Jazeera. “I was suspended because of my activism for Palestine … The injustices and the process that I’ve gone through have felt extremely bitter, but it also needed to be fought.”
The disciplinary action against Ghanem originated from a May 2025 letter in which KCL accused him of multiple instances of non-academic misconduct. These allegations included acting in an intimidating and hostile manner, disrupting events, committing procedural breaches, and creating health and safety concerns. The letter further instructed Ghanem to return to his home country during the suspension period.
As a consequence of the university’s decision, Ghanem’s visa was revoked. He had previously argued that returning to Egypt would expose him to persecution due to his prior detention for activism.
Following legal action against the institution and enduring delays to his academic progress, Ghanem expressed steadfast commitment to his cause. “I’m left with nothing but conviction, and the only regret I’ll ever have is that I didn’t do more for the Palestinian people,” he stated.
Cage, a campaign group, hailed the outcome as a significant win. “This is a victory not just for Ghanem, but for every student at King’s, across London and beyond who has taken a stand for Palestine and for the right to protest,” the group said.
The case reflects a broader trend at UK universities since the outbreak of the conflict in Gaza. Reports from July by Al Jazeera and Liberty Investigates indicated that at least 26 KCL students faced disciplinary investigations between October 2023 and November 2025 for engaging in pro-Palestine protest activity. Additionally, the European Legal Support Center documented what it described as widespread repression of students, academics, and teachers supporting Palestine, identifying educational institutions as key actors in the crackdown.
A KCL spokesperson denied that the university disciplines students for activism, stating that while they upheld the original reasons for Ghanem’s suspension, he had met all agreed-upon conditions, making re-enrolment the appropriate outcome. The spokesperson emphasized the university’s duty to act where behavior breaches safeguarding regulations or poses risks to others. Regarding the visa issue, the university clarified that it does not make decisions on visa sponsorship but has a legal obligation to notify UK Visas & Immigration of changes in student status.
Controversy also surrounds the university’s use of Horus, a private firm founded by former military intelligence officials, to monitor protest activities. Documents reviewed by Al Jazeera suggest Horus informed KCL about upcoming demonstrations related to Ghanem, whom activists referred to as an “expelled student.”
“They have specifically been engaged in surveilling me,” Ghanem said. “I think it’s crystal clear that King’s overreached.”
KCL rejected claims of monitoring Ghanem, asserting that all information provided by Horus was already publicly available. The university described Horus as a “horizon scanning tool” used to track events on or near campuses, including protests on any subject.
Ghanem’s dispute received support from hundreds of students and several academics, including the Association of Student Activism for Palestine (ASAP). In a statement, ASAP commented: “KCL’s decision to reinstate Usama shows what happens when students and the wider community stand strong against the intimidation tactics of our universities. This victory has shown us the power that students and the wider movement holds when we stand on the side of justice unwaveringly.”
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