KCL - Reinstate Usama Now

Usama Ghanem is a 2nd year international student, and an active member of the Kings College London (KCL) protest and activism community, has been repeatedly targeted and penalised by KCL for his protest for the Palestinian cause.

Usama took part in the encampment at KCL in May 2024, alongside many others from the student body. He took part in a protest at a KCL Alumni event and given explicit permission to speak to the crowd, despite being given permission, Usama was physically assaulted by KCL security staff and then placed under stringent disciplinary measures for his role in the protest.

He was immediately suspended from campus pending his investigation. After following the disciplinary process, Usama was issued with an unprecedented cease-and-desist order, effectively barring him from all further involvement in protest on campus.

In February 2025, Usama attended an event on campus that invited a Zionist, pro-Israel speaker to address the students. Usama, along with some other activist students and concerned members of the public attended in order to debate with the speaker about her pro-genocide views. As a result of their protest against this speaker, Usama and the other students were doxxed and a complaint went in from the pro Zionist lobby group Campaign Against Antisemitism, or CAA, to KCL demanding that the students be disciplined for their activism and debate. Usama was yet again faced with a further disciplinary, this time resulting in an indefinite suspension from the University, which would result in the removal of his Visa. KCL told Usama to go back home as he would not be allowed to continue his studies for at least a year. KCL were fully aware of Usama's situation in his home country Egypt, where he and his family have, in the past, faced torture and political prosecution. It was made known to KCL at the time of Usama’s enrolment and again during the disciplinary process, but was disregarded in the face of appeasing bad faith, pro Zionist pressure groups such as the Campaign Against Antisemitism.

Usama faced a further disciplinary, after he joined a protest with other students in May 2025, outside KCL as they hosted the London Defence Conference (LDC) on its campus. The conference hosted the British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, and numerous weapons manufacturers and private companies involved in the genocide in Gaza. The students opposed their university being used as a platform for the promotion of war by hosting those who advocated for the ongoing genocide. Despite there being numerous students present, Usama was singled out again.

After the ongoing targeting by KCL, Usama is now facing an indefinite suspension, which is to be reviewed after a year and faces losing his visa which means he is at risk of imprisonment in Egypt if he is forced to return home. Usama has just one year left of his degree in international relations.

Join us in demanding KCL's President and Principal, Professor, Shitij Kapur, to overturn the decisions taken against Usama, and to reinstate him as a student immediately.