• University of Birmingham (Facebook)

• The University of Birmingham is facing legal pressure over its disciplinary actions against two student activists involved in pro-Palestine advocacy. The European Legal Support Centre (ELSC) has submitted legal arguments to the university’s Misconduct Panel, demanding that charges against Mariyah Ali and Antonia Listrat be dropped.

• According to the ELSC, the students are being targeted “for their peaceful protest and calls for divestment from arms companies linked to Israeli military operations.”

The disciplinary hearing, set for April 7, comes amid an escalating clampdown on Palestine solidarity activism across UK campuses. A joint investigation by Liberty Investigates and Sky News found that over 113 students and staff across 28 universities have faced disciplinary action since October 2023. The report also exposed collaboration between university administrations, law enforcement, and private intelligence firms — what campaigners describe as creating a “climate of fear.”

The two students were singled out after calling on the university to cut ties with BAE Systems, a weapons manufacturer that supplies the Israeli military. Their activism followed "Israel’s" devastating bombardment of Gaza, which has killed more than 50,000 people and left the region in ruins.

An assault on democratic rights

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Despite growing condemnation — including from Coventry MP Zarah Sultana, who labelled the university’s move “an assault on democratic rights,” and UN Special Rapporteur Gina Romero, who raised alarm over “harassment, intimidation and reprisals” — the disciplinary process is moving forward.

The decision has also sparked backlash from within the student community. Both Mariyah and Antonia hold elected leadership positions: Mariyah as Ethnic Minorities Officer, and Antonia as Guild President. A pro-Palestine motion passed by students was later blocked by the Guild’s board of trustees, drawing further criticism of institutional overreach.

Student activists argue that punishing democratically elected representatives undermines campus democracy and contravenes protections under the Education Act 1986 and the Human Rights Act 1998, which safeguard freedom of expression and political belief.

Anna Ost, Senior Legal Officer at the ELSC, warned that the University’s disciplinary action risks intimidating the broader campus community and discouraging support for Palestinian rights. She urged the institution to reverse course, drop the charges, and reaffirm its commitment to protecting core freedoms on campus.

In a similar vein, Mariyah Ali described the move as politically motivated and discriminatory, saying, “The disciplinary process against Antonia and me is a blatant attempt to suppress dissent and silence the wider student movement. This authoritarian crackdown is not just an attack on our right to protest — it is a display of institutional Islamophobia and bureaucratic repression. The student movement for Palestine is stronger than ever.”

Antonia Listrat connected their activism to broader global movements for justice and democratic values, emphasizing that protest plays a vital role in both university life and a functioning society. She underscored the urgency of defending human rights and international law in the face of growing far-right narratives, arguing that while supporting atrocities is inherently violent, opposing them through peaceful protest is both necessary and moral.