UK revokes Palestinian student’s visa after she expressed ‘pride’ over October 7 attacks

The UK has revoked the visa of a Palestinian student at the University of Manchester after statements she made during a pro-Palestine demonstration last year.

Final year law student Dana Abuqamar, 19, told Al Jazeera that the Home Office withdrew her visa over concerns that she poses a “national threat” after expressing pride for the October 7 Hamas attacks and saying, “We are full of joy at what has happened.”

“This is the first time that something like this happened in modern-day history – for 16 years Gaza has been under blockade and for the first time they’re actively resisting, they’re not on the defense, and that is truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience,” Abuqamar said during the speech in question. "We are both in fear of how Israel will retaliate, but also we are full of pride, and full of joy at what has happened.

Manchester law student and head of Friends of Palestine, Dana Abuqamar, told reporters after October 7 that she was filled with "pride" and "joy" over the Hamas attacks in Israel. (Photo: Screenshot via Sky News)[Missing Credit]

Abuqamar, who leads the Friends of Palestine group at the University of Manchester, told Al Jazeera last week: “Essentially the Home Office claims that my presence in the UK threatens national security; they have said that the statements that I've made support some sort of extremist views,” she said. “Keep in mind, I am a 19-year-old law student – all I have done in life is go to school and receive an education and advocate for social justice.”