Man charged over headband worn at pro-Palestine rally in central London

The item of clothing is said to arouse 'reasonable suspicion' the accused supports Hamas
Protesters at a 'National March For Palestine' in London on November 25, 2023
AFP via Getty Images
Gwyn Wright12 January 2024
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A young man has been charged with wearing a green headband with writing on it which is said to arouse “reasonable suspicion” he supports Hamas.

Khaled Hajsaad, 24, from Birmingham, is accused over the presence of the Islamic Shehada on the item of clothing worn at a pro-Palestine rally in central London on November 25.

He is said to have worn the clothing “in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he is a supporter of a proscribed organisation, namely Hamas.”

He will appear before Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday.

Nick Price, head of the Crown Prosecution Service’s special crime and counter terrorism division, said: “The charge follows an investigation by the Metropolitan Police’s Counter Terrorism Command.

“Criminal proceedings against this individual are active and he has the right to a fair trial.

“It is extremely important that there should be no reporting, commentary or sharing of information online which could in any way prejudice these proceedings.

“The function of the CPS is not to decide whether a person is guilty of a criminal offence, but to make fair, independent and objective assessments about whether it is appropriate to present charges for a criminal court to consider.”

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