The UK has revoked the student visa of Dana Abuqamar, a 19-year-old Palestinian law student at the University of Manchester, following her public expressions of pride and joy over the

Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.

Abuqamar, who is in her final year of law studies, made these statements during a pro-Palestine demonstration last year. She expressed her sentiments in a speech, highlighting the unprecedented nature of Gaza’s active resistance after years of blockade, which she described as a "once-in-a-lifetime experience."

In her speech, Abuqamar stated, “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.”

Following these comments, the Home Office deemed her a “national threat” and revoked her visa. Abuqamar, who leads the Friends of Palestine group at the university, criticized the decision as “completely baseless” and has launched a human rights appeal against it.

She argues that her statements do not constitute extremist views but rather reflect her advocacy for social justice. “Freedom of expression is a fundamental human right here in the UK, but it clearly does not seem to apply to people of colour or ethnic minorities, and especially not to Muslims and Palestinians like myself,” Abuqamar said.

A Home Office spokesperson, without commenting on individual cases, stated that under the Immigration Rules, visas must be canceled if an individual's presence in the UK is not conducive to the public good. This includes behavior fostering hatred or associated with terrorism. The spokesperson emphasized that such decisions are made after careful consideration of the specific facts of each case.