The United Kingdom has barred American Muslim preacher Dr Shadee Elmasry from entering the country after the Home Office revoked his travel authorisation days before a scheduled speaking tour in Birmingham, Bolton and Ilford. The visit, organised by the Global Relief Trust, a Muslim charity, was due to begin on Sunday. Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood took the decision following the circulation of Elmasry’s past social media posts criticising Western support for Israel.

The posts included comments published a day after the October 7, 2023 Ham-as attack on Israel, in which Elmasry wrote that people in Ga-za had “punched back,” as well as other posts referencing Zionist militias formed before the creation of Israel and discussing armed resistance. Additional statements circulated online included remarks suggesting that resistance movements may commit excesses without negating what he described as the morality of resistance. Hamas is a proscribed organisation in the UK.

The ban followed a social media campaign by pro-Israel activists and public statements by Conservative MP Nick Timothy calling for Elmasry’s exclusion. In response, Elmasry said he opposed hate and extremism and denied supporting Ham-as, stating that his comments referred to resistance against occupation under international law. Elmasry is the director of education and community affairs at the New Brunswick Islamic Center in New Jersey and the founder of the Safina Society, which focuses on Islamic education.