A University of London student has been charged by counter terrorism police with expressing support for Hamas, after making a speech soon after 7 October 2023 celebrating the terrorist attacks in Israel.

UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) originally reported Sarah Cotte, a student at the School of African and Asian Studies (SOAS), University of London, to the police and to her university in October 2023. This was after she made a public speech on the steps of SOAS, celebrating the attacks by Hamas terrorists on Israelis on 7 October 2023. Her speech was caught on video, and subsequently broadcast on social media.

She was arrested on 31 January 2024 and released on bail. According to a police statement, she was charged on 11 March 2025 with two counts of expressing support for Hamas, a proscribed organisation. The first was for expressing support for Hamas in October 2023, and the second charge relates to similar comments allegedly made on a WhatsApp group.

Sarah Cotte, a French national, was secretary of the Fight Racism Fight Imperialism society at SOAS in October 2023. During her speech, soon after 7 October 2023 she declared:

“We at SOAS Fight Racism Fight Imperialism express our unconditional solidarity with the Palestinian Armed Resistance who have broken free from their open air prison in Gaza and are rising across an occupied country, against the Zionist state which has been bleeding Palestine dry for nearly eighty years. Israel has existed for 27,540 days but in less than one day it has been nearly brought to its knees by righteous armed resistance.”

UKLFI reported Ms Cotte to the Counter Terrorism Police for alleged breaches of the Terrorism Act 2000.

UKLFI also reported Ms Cotte to SOAS, warning that (in UKLFI’s view) she may be a danger to other students. However, the principal of SOAS , Professor Adam Habib, insisted that

“All in our community will be allowed their freedom of expression and action which will only be circumscribed by our common commitment not to condone hate speech, antisemitism, Islamaphobia,[sic] or any other form of cultural or disciplinary chauvinism. We will also be circumscribed by the law, our health and safety policies and other regulations, and our common commitment not to subject students and staff in our institution to physical or psychological harm. Where these principles are in any way breached, we will act decisively and hold individuals accountable.”

SOAS did not appear to apply any sanctions to Ms Cotte, who seemingly remained at the University. On 4 March 2024, in response to a query from UKLFI, Prof Adam Habib stated:

“Our commitment to freedom of expression and action is principled, and it defines how we engage with ideas across the political spectrum. Where views expressed are illegal, we will act accordingly, as per the law. Second, as you well know, Sarah Cotte has been arrested but has not been found guilty, which only a court of law can do. As of now, a court of law has not yet pronounced on the matter.”

She apparently remained at the university until she was charged on 11 March 2025.

Ms Cotte is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on 24 March 2025.