A proposed event at the London School of Economics (LSE) to launch a book expressing views supportive of Hamas has been challenged by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).

UKLFI has written to Professor Larry Kramer, President and Vice-Chancellor of the London School of Economics (LSE), about an event to launch a book titled “Understanding Hamas And Why That Matters”, which is scheduled to take place on 10 March 2025. In its letter, UKLFI draws attention to the legal issues that should determine LSE’s decision as to whether to allow this event to proceed as proposed.

The book consists primarily of transcripts of interviews, introduced by Helena Cobban and conducted mostly by Rami G Khouri, of five speakers, including Jeroen Gunning and Mouin Rabbani who are to speak at the proposed event at LSE, along with Helen Cobban. The other interviewees in the book are Dr Azzam Tamimi, Dr Paola Caridi and Dr Khaled Hroub. Dr Catherine Charrett of the University of Westminster is to present the event.

According to UKLFI, the book repeatedly expresses views supportive of Hamas, in many cases based on false propaganda, including denial of the atrocities of 7 October 2023. There is virtually no criticism of Hamas. Rather than being an objective, academic analysis of Hamas, UKLFI describes the book as a paean to Hamas.

UKLFI recognises in its letter that LSE is required by section 43 of the Education (No 2) Act 1986 to “take such steps as are reasonably practicable to ensure that freedom of speech within the law is secured for members, students and employees of the establishment and for visiting speakers” (emphasis added).

However, UKLFI notes that this requirement applies to “speech within the law”; there is no obligation to ensure freedom of unlawful speech. On the contrary, LSE has obligations not to encourage or assist speech or other conduct that would constitute a criminal offence.

Hamas is a proscribed organisation under Schedule 2 of the UK’s Terrorism Act 2000. The proscription applies to the whole of Hamas and is not limited to a supposedly separate terrorist wing.

Section 12(1A) of that Act provides that

“A person commits an offence if the person—

(a) expresses an opinion or belief that is supportive of a proscribed organisation, and

(b) in doing so is reckless as to whether a person to whom the expression is directed will be encouraged to support a proscribed organisation.”

UKLFI’s letter draws attention to the recent decision of England’s Court of Appeal in ABJ and BDN v R [2024] EWCA Crim 1597 which discussed the application of this provision, including the concept of recklessness. The Court of Appeal stated that in this context recklessness “means awareness of the risk that the expression of opinion or belief would encourage a person to whom it was directed to support the organisation and, in the circumstances known to the defendant, that it was objectively unreasonable for them to take that risk”.

UKLFI’s letter also points out that it is a criminal offence to aid and abet a substantive criminal offence. In addition, sections 45 and 46 of the Serious Crime Act 2007 make it a criminal offence to do an act capable of encouraging or assisting the commission of a criminal offence or one or more of a number of offences, believing that the offence or one of the offences will be committed and that the act will encourage or assist the commission of the offence or one of them.

UKLFI comments that it seems inevitable that the speakers at the proposed event will express views supportive of Hamas if it goes ahead.

UKLFI’s letter notes that at least eight students or former students of the University of Westminster have been encouraged not only to support Islamist terrorist organisations, but also to join them and participate in terrorist acts. Students and former students of other London universities, including LSE, have also carried out terrorist attacks for Islamist terrorist organisations.

According to UKLFI, this indicates first that there is a risk that members of the audience of the proposed event will be encouraged by the communication of views supportive of Hamas to support Hamas; and secondly that the potential consequences are very serious, a factor that affects the consideration of whether it is reasonable to take the risk.

UKLFI’s letter adds that LSE staff involved in organising the event risk criminal liability for aiding, abetting, assisting and/or encouraging offences contrary to section 12(1A) of the Terrorism Act 2000.

Jonathan Turner, chief executive of UKLFI commented: “We recognise the importance of objective academic analysis of terrorist organisations such as Hamas. However, it seems to us that this book whitewashes Hamas and denies copious evidence of atrocities.”