Shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick has criticised British authorities for spending time attempting to charge an activist who rose to fame for counter-protesting pro-Palestine marches with a sign saying: “Hamas is terrorist.”
Jenrick, who was appointed to his role by new Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch after she defeated him for the leadership of their party, said in a post on X/Twitter: “Hamas ARE terrorists. Niyak Ghorbani was repeatedly pursued for saying so.”
He added: “The authorities should enforce the law against those valorising terrorism, not those peacefully protesting against it.”
Ghorbani claimed on social media that the Crown Prosecution Service had dropped two charges against him: failing to comply with conditions imposed on him by a police officer while counter-protesting an Al-Quds Day protest in London on April 5 and “causing racially aggravated intentional harassment, alarm, or distress (waving a banana)” on a separate occasion.
The Al Quds Day march, which originated in Iran, has frequently served as an expression of solidarity with terror groups supported by the Islamic Republic including on the streets of London.
Both charges against Ghorbani were dropped “because there is not enough evidence to provide a realistic prospect of conviction”.
Police had, on multiple occasions, apparently attempted to impose restrictions on Ghorbani’s ability to counter-protest pro-Palestine demonstrations in London, and he was reportedly required the police’s permission to enter central London.
He claimed although he was fighting one other charge, he will no longer be required to inform the police should he wish to attend central London on Saturdays – when most pro-Palestine demonstrations take place.
Ghorbani posted on X/Twitter: “Over the last 6 months, the police have repeatedly imposed bail conditions to stop me stating the law: Hamas and Hezbollah are terrorists” and thanked the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) as well as his legal team and “everyone who stood by me”.
A spokesperson for CAA told the JC: “We are pleased that the charges against Niyak Ghorbani have finally been dropped. As we have done with Mr Ghorbani in court several times now, we will continue to support those who stand with British Jews and describe Hamas and Hezbollah in legal terms: as proscribed terror organisations.”
During his campaign for the leadership of the Conservative Party, Jenrick was pictured in several photo opportunities wearing a hoodie with the words “Hamas are terrorists” on it.
During the Conservative Party’s annual conference, he attacked those – including Sky News presenter Kay Burley – who criticised him for doing so.
“Kay Burley said I was inciting people by doing that. I don’t know why we should be worried about inciting Hamas supporters”, Jenrick said, adding “They should be arrested” to applause from the audience.
The words on his hoodie were “the law, not a controversial statement,” he said.