A judge has told the Metropolitan Police it cannot stop an Iranian dissident who displays a sign branding Hamas as terrorists from attending pro-Palestinian protests.
Under strict bail conditions imposed by the force, Niyak Ghorbani, who has been arrested three times during his counter-protests, would have been prevented from going near any central London demonstrations, relating to Israel and the conflict in Gaza.
As reported by the Telegraph, however, a judge has now thrown out the conditions, ruling that they were neither proportionate nor necessary.
The conditions had been imposed after 38-year-old Mr Ghorbani was arrested for a third time during a pro-Palestinian march earlier this month.
He has become well known for holding up a sign stating “Hamas Is Terrorist” while standing alongside the route of the regular protests being held in London against Israel’s retaliation to Hamas’s Oct 7 attacks.
He has been manhandled and attacked by some protesters, but insists he is doing nothing wrong in pointing out that Hamas is a proscribed terror group under UK law.
Police attempted to impose strict bail conditions preventing him from attending future demonstrations after he was arrested and accused of refusing to stand where instructed by a police officer during an Al Quds day protest against Israel on April 5.
On Friday, Mr Ghorbani went to Westminster magistrates’ court to appeal against the police action.
Jessie Smith, his barrister, of Doughty Street Chambers, told the court the Met had been wrong to impose the bail condition.
Pointing out that no further action had been taken by police following Mr Ghorbani’s previous two arrests, she added: “We have here someone who has held up a flag with a legal statement written on it.
“A condition of this kind at this precise time, imposed for three months, and given that he does not have a criminal record , is not proportionate. It is wholly disproportionate.”
Deputy District Judge Lisa Towell agreed and ordered the ban to be lifted. She told Mr Ghorbani: “In these circumstances I’m not satisfied that the condition is either necessary or proportionate. At this stage I’m persuaded to remove the condition.”
