A 22-year-old Egyptian student suspended from King’s College London (KCL) last year due to his involvement in pro-Palestine campus activism is now returning to university.
KCL lifted Usama Ghanem’s suspension late last month, permitting him to return and finish the third and final year of his international studies degree.
“We won,” Ghanem stated. “I was suspended because of my activism for Palestine… The injustices and the process I’ve endured have been extremely bitter, but they needed to be fought.”
According to a May 2025 letter addressed to Ghanem and reviewed by Al Jazeera, KCL accused him of several instances of non-academic misconduct, including “acting in an intimidating and hostile manner,” disrupting an event, “procedural breaches,” and “causing a health and safety concern.”
The letter, signed by university staff, also stated: “You will need to return to your home country during this period of suspension.”
Ghanem’s visa was revoked as a direct result of the disciplinary action. However, since he had previously been detained in Egypt over his activism, he argued that he faced persecution if he returned.
After pursuing legal action against the university and accepting delays to his studies, Ghanem told Al Jazeera: “I’m left with nothing but conviction, and the only regret I’ll ever have is that I didn’t do more for the Palestinian people.”
The campaign group Cage commented, “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.”
In July, Al Jazeera and Liberty Investigates reported that at least 26 students at KCL had faced disciplinary investigations after engaging in pro-Palestine protest activity between October 2023 and November 2025.
Since the devastating conflict in Gaza began, several universities across the UK have faced criticism over their handling of Palestine solidarity protests on campus.
Earlier this year, the European Legal Support Center documented what it described as widespread repression of students, academics, and teachers over their solidarity with Palestine, identifying educational institutions among those leading the crackdown.
KCL denies disciplining students for activism.
A university spokesperson told Al Jazeera that KCL had “upheld the original reasons” for Ghanem’s suspension but determined that he “had met the conditions agreed for suspension and that re-enrolment was therefore the appropriate outcome.”
“We will always apply a fair approach to misconduct proceedings, and have a duty to act where behaviour breaches safeguarding and security regulations, or puts others at risk,” the spokesperson said.
They added that decisions on visa sponsorship are not made by KCL, but that the university “has a legal duty to notify (UK Visas & Immigration) of any change in student status.”
‘King’s Overstepped Boundaries’
Al Jazeera has also seen evidence indicating that KCL employed Horus, a private firm run by former military intelligence officials, to monitor protest activity.
In Ghanem’s case, the company appeared to have informed the university of upcoming demonstrations in support of the “expelled student.”
“They have specifically been engaged in surveilling me,” Ghanem said. “I think it’s crystal clear that King’s overreached.”
KCL denied monitoring Ghanem, stating that “all information collated by Horus is already publicly available elsewhere.”
“We use Horus as a horizon scanning tool for updates on events on or near our campuses, including protests on any subject,” the university said.
Hundreds of students and several academics supported Ghanem throughout his dispute with KCL, including the Association of Student Activism for Palestine (ASAP).
“KCL’s decision to reinstate Usama shows what happens when students and the wider community stand strong against the intimidation tactics of our universities,” ASAP told Al Jazeera.
“This victory has shown us the power that students and the wider movement holds when we stand on the side of justice unwaveringly.”
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