Hackney Council has removed a photograph of Councillor Brenda Puech wearing a keffiyeh from its official website after receiving a letter from UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) raising concerns about the image.

In a letter sent on 3 June 2026 to Hackney Council’s Chief Executive, Dawn Carter-McDonald, UKLFI argued that the inclusion of a photograph showing Councillor Puech wearing a keffiyeh on the council’s “Your Councillors” webpage was causing distress to at least one Jewish resident of the borough.

UKLFI contended that the keffiyeh is a divisive political symbol which many Jewish and Israeli residents associate with hostility towards Israel and, in some cases, with terrorist organisations and antisemitism.

UKLFI explained that displaying the image on an official council website could create an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for Jewish residents and employees, and argued that Councillor Puech’s continued use of the keffiyeh while undertaking council business could potentially engage provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The letter also referred to Hackney Council’s Code of Conduct and the Public Sector Equality Duty.

UKLFI asked the council to ensure that Councillor Puech refrained from wearing the keffiyeh while carrying out council business and requested that an alternative official photograph be used on the council’s website.

The original photograph, reproduced in the appendix to UKLFI’s letter, showed Councillor Puech wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh in her official council portrait photograph. The appendix also included examples from her social media showing her wearing similar attire.

Following UKLFI’s intervention, the photograph of Councillor Puech wearing the keffiyeh was removed from Hackney Council’s website.

A spokesperson for UKLFI said: “We welcome Hackney Council’s decision to remove the photograph. Public authorities should be mindful of the impact that politically charged symbols can have on members of different communities and should ensure that official council communications remain inclusive for all residents.”