A Palestinian-American designer and human rights advocate has been barred from entering the United Kingdom days before he was scheduled to speak at a London-based charity fundraiser supporting vulnerable communities in Gaza. Mo Hamzeh, who serves as vice-chair and trustee of the Sun of Freedom charity, had secured formal approval for his Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) weeks in advance of his planned Wednesday travel to the UK, only to have the permit abruptly cancelled without detailed justification. The official notification from the UK government cited a generic clause stating authorities were “satisfied that your presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good,” with no supporting evidence or opportunity for Hamzeh to contest the ruling before it took effect.
The move follows targeted advocacy from two prominent pro-Israel entities: the advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) submitted a formal report to the Home Office on 19 October calling for Hamzeh’s exclusion, while Conservative MP and shadow home secretary Chris Philp publicly urged Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood to issue a full entry ban on 30 October. Philp based his call on claims that clothing designs sold by Hamzeh to raise funds for Sun of Freedom contained extremist rhetoric, including a T-shirt with incendiary language comparing Israel’s actions to Nazi atrocities, and an inverted red triangle symbol that Philp claimed was closely affiliated with Hamas. Hamzeh has firmly rejected the allegations, clarifying the inverted red triangle is a longstanding symbol of Palestinian statehood, and the Sun of Freedom charity has publicly stated it “unequivocally reject antisemitism and the targeting of Jewish people, as well as terrorism and violence against civilians.”
Hamzeh, a New Jersey resident whose family was displaced during the 1948 Nakba, told Middle East Eye he is launching a full legal challenge against the UK government’s “baseless” decision. He emphasized the event he was set to headline, billed as “Palestine: A Journey Through Heritage and Hope,” was a cultural celebration of Palestinian art, food, heritage and community stories, not a platform for incitement. He also highlighted what he frames as a glaring double standard: “While Israeli soldiers who have participated in genocide are free to roam the streets of London, I am barred from flying in to attend a fundraiser for a charity that provides lifesaving food and water to families in Gaza.”
The case has drawn renewed scrutiny over longstanding concerns about a growing chilling effect on Palestine solidarity activism across the UK. Data from the European Legal Support Centre’s Britain Index of Repression database shows UKLFI, founded in 2011, is cited 128 times as a leading actor behind targeted pressure campaigns against individuals, educational institutions, charities and public bodies that criticize Israeli state policy or provide humanitarian aid to Palestinian communities. The centre’s analysis notes UKLFI frequently uses formal complaint letters, legal threats and public shaming campaigns to push public bodies to cancel lawful Palestine-related events or open disciplinary proceedings against activists. This incident is the latest in a string of controversial entry bans targeting pro-Palestine American public figures, following earlier high-profile exclusions of political commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur earlier this year, which were widely reported to stem from their public criticism of Israeli government actions. A Home Office spokesperson declined to comment on the specific case when contacted by Middle East Eye, issuing a standard statement noting the department does not routinely discuss individual immigration cases, and reaffirming its commitment to combating antisemitism and stopping the spread of hatred or incitement to violence.