Three guilty of showing support for Hamas at pro-Palestine protest

Three women who displayed images supporting Hamas at a pro-Palestine demonstration have been found guilty of a terrorism offence following a Met investigation.

Heba Alhayek, 29 (14.08.94), and Pauline Ankunda, 26 (19.06.97), of south London, displayed paraglider imagery on the backs of their shirts during a protest in central London on 14 October 2023.

Noimutu Taiwo, 27 (11.04.96), also of south London, stuck a paraglider picture to a placard she was carrying at the protest.

Paragliders were used by Hamas members in launching their terrorist attack in Israel on 7 October 2023.

Alhayek, Ankunda and Taiwo were each found guilty of displaying an article in such a way or such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that they were either members or supporters of a Proscribed Organisation, namely Hamas (contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000) following a two-day trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court.

They were each sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge.

Detective Chief Superintendent Hayley Sewart, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The images that circulated on social media of these women caused widespread outrage.

“This was a unique case examined in detail by a senior judge, and the case built by officers has led to guilty verdicts.

“In the context of the pro-Palestine protests we have seen in London, we have always been clear that showing support for a terror group is a criminal offence, and anyone who does this faces arrest and prosecution.

“The right to protest is always coupled with a responsibility for those protesting to act lawfully. The Met will pursue anyone suspected of committing criminal offences at protests.”

Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command supporting Op Brocks – the response to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza and its impact in London - launched an investigation after officers became aware of images on social media of the three women at the 14 October 2023 protest.

Police made a public appeal to trace the women on 27 October 2023. Alhayek and Ankunda subsequently attended a police station on 30 November 2023, and were arrested. They were charged on 3 November 2023. Taiwo was arrested on 8 November 2023, and charged the following day.

The Met still has a number of active investigations and outstanding suspects linked to alleged offences committed at protests held in central London in recent months.

+ The Op Brocks public appeal image gallery can be found online.