King’s College London reinstates student suspended for pro-Palestine activism

Usama Ghanem, a 22-year-old Egyptian student, has been readmitted to King’s College London (KCL) after his suspension for pro-Palestine activism was lifted. Ghanem was previously accused of non-academic misconduct, including intimidating behavior and disrupting events, which led to the revocation of his student visa. He had expressed concerns regarding potential persecution in Egypt if forced to return.

Investigations by Al Jazeera and Liberty Investigates revealed that KCL utilized Horus Security Consultancy Ltd, a firm run by former military intelligence officials, to monitor campus activity. Data obtained through a subject access request showed that Horus provided the university with intelligence on student campaigns calling for Ghanem’s reinstatement, including details on protest timings, locations, and attendance numbers.

KCL stated it uses Horus as a “horizon scanning tool” to ensure campus safety and legal compliance, denying that it employs services to gather information on specific individuals. The university noted that the information collected by the firm is publicly available. The case follows reports that at least 26 KCL students faced disciplinary investigations related to pro-Palestine protests between 2023 and 2025.