Full Breakdown
King’s College London Reinstates Pro-Palestine Student After Year-Long Dispute
By Drooid · · How we work
Reinstatement of Usama Ghanem
King’s College London (KCL) lifted the suspension of 22-year-old Egyptian student Usama Ghanem in late 2025, allowing him to resume the final year of his International Relations degree. The university said Ghanem had satisfied the conditions set out in his suspension agreement, leading to his re-enrolment. KCL also noted that it must inform UK Visas & Immigration of any change in a student’s status, though visa decisions remain with the immigration authority.
Background and Context
The suspension stemmed from Ghanem’s participation in campus activism supporting Palestinians after Israel’s war in Gaza began in October 2023. KCL has faced scrutiny, with investigations by Al Jazeera and Liberty revealing disciplinary investigations into at least 26 students between October 2023 and November 2025.
Data and Statistics
- Disciplinary investigations: Al Jazeera reported at least 26 KCL students faced investigations for pro-Palestine activity during the 2023-2025 period.
- Private security monitoring: A subject-access request showed that Horus Security Consultancy Ltd, run by former military-intelligence officials, was paid by 12 British universities—including KCL—to monitor protest activity, receiving £443,943 between January 2022 and March 2025.
- Visa impact: Ghanem’s visa was revoked following his suspension; KCL confirmed it will provide a new Confirmation of Acceptance for Studies (CAS) number to support a fresh student visa.
- Restrictions remaining: KCL imposed conditions on Ghanem’s return, including bans on attending open days, protesting outside designated areas, using loudspeakers, and breaching the university’s permissible protest policy.
Official Statements & Responses
UN Special Rapporteur for Freedom of Peaceful Assembly and Association Gina Romero called the university’s disciplinary framework “utterly disturbing” and a “weaponisation of university disciplinary frameworks,” warning that such measures could chill lawful expression.
Criticism and Opposition
Campaign groups welcomed the reinstatement as a test of student solidarity. The UN rapporteur’s remarks added an international human-rights perspective, condemning the disciplinary approach as a threat to peaceful assembly.
Verbatim Quotes
- “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.” — Cage
- “They have specifically been engaged in surveilling me,” — Usama Ghanem
- “KCL’s decision to reinstate Usama shows what happens when students and the wider community stand strong against the intimidation tactics of our universities,” — Association of Student Activism for Palestine (ASAP)
- “Mr Ghanem was not suspended for expressing his beliefs, but for behaviour last year which caused harm and restricted the rights of others to their freedom of expression.” — spokesperson
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
Sources differ on the scale of disciplinary action at KCL, and the exact process by which KCL’s notification to UK Visas & Immigration influences visa outcomes remains unclear.
What’s Next
KCL’s reinstatement comes with continued behavioural conditions for Ghanem, and the university will submit a new CAS number to UK Visas & Immigration to enable his stay. Monitoring of campus protests by Horus is expected to continue under the university’s “horizon-scanning” policy, while student groups plan to assess the broader impact of the case on protest rights at UK higher-education institutions.
