Palestine Solidarity Movement Faces Systemic Repression in Britain, Report Finds

A latest report reveals a pattern of alleged repression targeting individuals and groups expressing solidarity with Palestine in Britain. The European Legal Support Center (ELSC), in collaboration with Forensic Architecture, has documented 964 cases of “anti-Palestinian repression” from January 2019 to August 2025, alleging a systematic effort to stifle pro-Palestine voices.

Growing Criminalization of Palestine Solidarity

The findings, released on February 25, 2026, indicate that those expressing support for Palestine have been targeted through various means, including smears, disinformation, harassment, doxing, visa cancellations, financial blacklisting, loss of employment, and arrest. The ELSC and Forensic Architecture have compiled these cases into an “index of repression,” a publicly accessible database.

Key Actors in Alleged Repression

According to the report, the primary actors allegedly involved in this repression include:

• Police (220 incidents)
• Educational Institutions (192 incidents)
• Pro-Israel Advocacy Groups (141 incidents)
• Journalists and Media Actors (141 incidents)

Who is Being Targeted?

Students, academics, and teachers have been disproportionately affected, accounting for 336 of the documented incidents. Activists and organizers were also frequently targeted (229 incidents). Artists and cultural workers have experienced event cancellations (71 incidents).

Case Study: Teacher Investigated for Sainsbury’s Protest

Sajja Iqbal, a teacher and member of the Redbridge Palestine Solidarity Campaign, was investigated and received a formal warning after participating in a protest at a local Sainsbury’s supermarket. Iqbal and other protesters removed Israeli goods from the shelves, placed them in a shopping trolley covered with a Palestinian flag, and presented a letter to the store manager calling for a boycott. Iqbal reported that her name and school were publicized in the press, impacting her well-being. She intends to pursue legal action with the assistance of the ELSC.

Allegations of Antisemitism and Terrorism

The ELSC emphasized that the consequences faced by those targeted are often justified by allegations of antisemitism or support for terrorism. However, Tara Mariwany, the senior monitoring officer at ELSC, clarified that the index does not assess the validity of these allegations. “It’s simply our role to document it and to show that it doesn’t matter if you wear a watermelon sticker on your shirt…It’s simply about showing the scale of it,” she stated.

Systemic, Not Centrally Directed

Bob Trafford of Forensic Architecture described the documented repression as a “system” that is “organic, multipolar, self-reinforcing and mutually exacerbating.” He argued that this system aims to raise the personal cost of speaking out and to diminish civil society’s ability to address issues like genocide and demand governmental action.

Further Information

More information about the ELSC and its work can be found on their website: https://elsc.support/

The full report, “Index of Repression,” is available for download from the ELSC website.