King’s College London has lifted the year-long suspension of pro-Palestine student Usama Ghanem, following sustained campaigning for his reinstatement. The university had previously withdrawn his visa sponsorship after pressure from the Campaign Against Antisemitism, leaving the Egyptian student facing possible removal from the UK.
Ghanem, a 22-year-old International Relations student, was suspended and excluded from campus in 2025 over alleged misconduct connected to pro-Palestine protests. His case subsequently attracted a campaign calling for KCL to reinstate him, while the Campaign Against Antisemitism publicly pushed for action against him.
Following a review, KCL has now concluded that there is no reason for his suspension or exclusion to remain in place. He will be able to return for the 2026/27 academic year and complete his degree, with the university also providing the documentation needed for him to apply for a new student visa.
The reinstatement comes alongside new revelations about KCL’s monitoring of the campaign supporting Ghanem. Novara Media reports that the university used Horus Security Consultancy, a private security firm run by former military intelligence officials, to monitor demonstrations and campaign activity. Information obtained through a subject access request reportedly included details of protest dates, locations, posters and estimated attendance.
The campaign had called for Ghanem’s reinstatement and for KCL to divest from companies accused of involvement in Israel’s war on Gaza. KCL denies using Horus to monitor individual students, describing it as a “horizon scanning tool” used to monitor protests and events.
Although Ghanem has now been reinstated, he remains subject to certain restrictions on protest activity. His return follows months of campaigning and legal pressure over his suspension.
