Designer of T-shirts accusing Israel of ‘organ theft’ banned from UK
Mo Hamzeh says his travel permission was revoked ahead of a London fundraiser following complaints over alleged antisemitism
An activist linked to a British charity accused of promoting antisemitic merchandise has been barred from entering the UK, months after Jewish campaigners raised concerns about his conduct.
Moath Hamzeh, a trustee and vice-chair of Manchester-based Sun of Freedom, said the Home Office cancelled his permission to travel to Britain shortly before he was due to speak at a charity fundraiser in London.
The decision follows complaints from Jewish campaigners over social media posts in which he allegedly promoted antisemitic conspiracy theories and used threatening language towards Israelis.
Hamzeh, a Palestinian-American activist based in New Jersey, said his electronic travel authorisation (ETA) was revoked because his presence in Britain was deemed not “conducive to the public good”.
He had been due to attend a Sun of Freedom fundraising event on 6 November, followed by a documentary screening of Palestine House on 14 November.
In a video posted on Instagram, Hamzeh accused the Home Office of banning him “on grounds that are blatantly discriminatory, citing that I am not conducive to the public good in the UK, without any reasoning or rationale or any means to question or appeal the decision.”
He said he would still address the London fundraiser virtually, warning: “I am the last person you want to mess with, and that’s all I’ll say on the matter because there is lots more to come.”
The reported ban comes two months after Jewish News revealed that the Charity Commission was assessing concerns about Sun o Freedom over a clothing range created by Hamzeh to raise money for the charity.
The collection included a £35 T-shirt featuring allegations against Israel, including “genocide”, “holocaust”, “paedophilia”, “sex-trafficking” and “organ theft”.
Another design featured an inverted red triangle, a symbol used by Hamas in propaganda videos to identify Israeli targets.
Hamzeh previously denied that the triangle represented support for Hamas, saying it symbolised the Palestinian struggle for statehood.
The charity also rejected allegations of antisemitism and support for terrorism.
Further concerns were raised in October when UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) submitted evidence to the Home Office and Charity Commission, drawing on an investigation by online antisemitism watchdog GnasherJew.
The investigation highlighted social media videos in which Hamzeh allegedly promoted conspiracy theories about Jewish control of banks, governments and the media.
In one video, he reportedly described Zionism as “a cancer to society” and wrote that those responsible “must be excised”.
Another allegedly featured references to “Jewish supremacist tentacles”, while a separate video included the warning: “You can run, but we will find you.”
The watchdog also highlighted posts linking Israel to the 9/11 attacks and the assassination of US President John F. Kennedy.
Following Hamzeh’s announcement, UKLFI called on the Charity Commission to remove him as a trustee.
A UKLFI spokesperson said: “The exclusion of Moath Hamzeh from the UK is a welcome step in protecting the public from extremist rhetoric and antisemitic hatred.”
The group added: “Someone whose conduct has reportedly resulted in exclusion from the UK on public-good grounds should not be entrusted with the leadership of a British charity.”
GnasherJew also welcomed the decision, saying its investigation had uncovered “antisemitic conspiracy theories, dehumanising language and apparent threats towards Israelis”.
Hamzeh condemned the decision, accusing the British government of attempting to silence Palestinian voices.
He told The Jerusalem Post: “This is further evidence that the British government is colluding with supporters of apartheid to silence voices against Israeli genocide.”
The Home Office declined to confirm the details of his cases.
“We are committed to tackling antisemitism in all its forms and have no tolerance for those who seek to spread hatred, incite violence or threaten communities.”
The department said decisions to refuse or cancel travel authorisation on public-good grounds are based on an assessment of the potential risk an individual may pose to British society.
The Charity Commission has confirmed it is examining allegations involving Hamzeh and the clothing retailer as part of an ongoing regulatory compliance case into Sun of Freedom.