King’s College London (KCL) has been accused by supporters of a suspended student of endangering him, after the university issued an indefinite suspension that could lead to the withdrawal of his visa.
Second year student Usama Ghanem, a pro-Palestinian activist involved in campus protests, was suspended following alleged breaches of university policy.
His supporters claim the 21-year-old’s suspension may lead to him being forced to return to his home country, Egypt, where he and his family previously faced persecution for opposing the regime, Novara Media reports.
According to the outlet, supporters allege that increased pressure to withdraw Usama’s sponsorship came from external groups. KCL had received an email from the charity Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) urging disciplinary action against students involved in subjecting a speaker to “aggressive” behaviour at an event.
A King’s College London spokesperson said: “The university is committed to upholding and protecting freedom of expression and the right to protest, within the law, and we take proportionate action when behaviour breaches our policies, decided upon through our robust processes and procedures.”
A spokesperson for CAA said its work is focused on ensuring Jewish students are protected from antisemitism. The charity said it raised concerns about an event at KCL, “where the speaker was subjected to aggressive behaviour and chanting widely, including calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.” CAA said it called for the university to investigate the incident and take appropriate action against those responsible.
King’s College London via Unsplash
Usama had three previous disciplinary proceedings for protesting before his suspension, and it was a protest at a King’s Geopolitical Forum called “From Conflict to Connections: Israelis and Iranians” which resulted in his suspension.
The international relations student has post-traumatic stress disorder following the events he experienced in an Egyptian prison, and Usama’s PTSD diagnosis was reportedly reaffirmed by a senior psychiatrist, who said the university’s conduct had worsened his symptoms.
CAA is said to have urged KCL president, Shitij Kapur, to “open a full and transparent investigation into the event, with a view to immediate disciplinary action against the students involved [in the protest]” to “restore the confidence of Jewish students in the university’s ability to protect and support them”.
The letter also allegedly mentioned that it had been “approached by concerned students” following the event, accusing the university of failing to take appropriate action and undermining its responsibility to create a safe and inclusive environment.
KCL’s policy says that after 60 days of suspension, it will report the withdrawal of student visa sponsorship to UK Visas and Immigration.
Usama told Novara Media that he is “disgusted” by KCL for “punishing [him]” for free speech”, calling the university a “Trumpian authoritarian regime”.
The student was suspended on the 22nd May, to be reviewed in August 2026. He has since launched legal action against KCL for alleged breaches of his human rights, assault and personal injury, after his appeal against his suspension was rejected.
A spokesperson for CAA said: “CAA’s work on university campuses is focused on ensuring that Jewish students are protected from harassment, intimidation and antisemitism. In this case, we raised concerns regarding the disruption of a speaker event at King’s College London, where the speaker was subjected to aggressive behaviour and chanting widely, including calls for the destruction of the Jewish state.
“We called on the university to investigate and take appropriate action against those responsible, in line with its duty of care to all students. We are pleased that, on this occasion, KCL has answered that call. All universities must uphold the principles of education, respectful dialogue and the safety of their Jewish students and their peers.”
