Swedish Climate Academic Says UK Barred Him Over Palestine Action Panel

Andreas Malm, a Swedish climate academic and author, says the British government has barred him from entering the United Kingdom, and he believes the reason is a London panel where he was due to speak alongside a co-founder of Palestine Action. The group is banned in Britain as a terrorist organization. The Home Office has not explained its decision and says it does not comment on individual cases.

Al Jazeera reported that the Home Office canceled Malm’s Electronic Travel Authorization, known as an ETA, on Wednesday, citing an email the outlet saw. The BBC reported that Malm received a letter saying his presence was “not conducive to the public good,” with no further details.

What Malm says

Malm, who lectures at Lund University in Sweden, told Al Jazeera that he has traveled to the UK regularly for decades and that his views on Palestine have always been public. He said his most recent visit was in May. He said he has said and written nothing new about Palestine since, so the only trigger he can identify is the event, organized by the British magazine Tribune, where he was to appear with Huda Ammori, a Palestine Action co-founder.

Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Malm said he is not a member of Palestine Action, has never publicly endorsed it and has not given it financial support. He called the decision a case of “guilt by association” and a restriction on the free exchange of ideas.

The BBC also reported that Malm acknowledged earlier public remarks about the Hamas-led attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, which he made in a December 2023 talk, and said they could be a factor. He argued those views had been public for a long time, including when he was last allowed into the country.

What the Home Office says

The Home Office told Al Jazeera that decisions to refuse or cancel an ETA on public-good grounds rest solely on an assessment of the potential risk a person may pose to UK society. The BBC noted that the government has broad discretion to bar foreign nationals whose presence is judged to pose a risk to society.

According to Al Jazeera, the email told Malm that if he still wishes to visit, he must apply for a visa, and officials would then consider his circumstances in more detail.

What critics say

Tribune editor Oliver Eagleton accused the current government under Prime Minister Andy Burnham of continuing the approach of its predecessor under Keir Starmer, saying authors and academics are increasingly treated as terrorists for supporting Palestinians. Gareth Dale, a reader in political economy at Brunel University of London, told Al Jazeera that the lack of a stated reason was typical of bureaucratic overreach and that Malm has committed no crime.

Irish novelist Sally Rooney, whose books were withdrawn from sale in the UK this month over her public support for Palestine Action, called Malm a “brilliant and influential” intellectual and criticized the decision, according to Al Jazeera.

Why it matters for people who travel to the UK

Travelers from countries whose citizens do not need a visa for short UK visits, including countries in Europe, the United States and Canada, generally need an ETA. Malm’s case shows that such an authorization can be canceled after it has been issued and used. Al Jazeera said he had no warning that his was at risk.

The alternative is a visa application. The government website says a standard visitor visa takes three weeks to process, which means Malm could not get one in time for next week’s panel even if it were approved.

The wider context

The case comes amid a broader dispute over the Palestine Action ban. Al Jazeera reported that more than 3,850 people have been arrested for publicly backing the group, while the BBC said more than 3,700 are believed to have been arrested and about 2,500 charged, with none yet tried. The UK Supreme Court is due to review the ban, and the Home Office has said it will robustly defend it.

The BBC also listed other recent entry decisions. In April, 11 people described by Starmer as far-right agitators were banned ahead of a rally. Kanye West was refused entry the same month after backlash over his planned festival appearance. In June, commentators Hasan Piker and Cenk Uygur said their visas had been revoked.

What happens next

Malm said he has asked the Home Office for an explanation and had not received a response, according to Al Jazeera. The panel in London is scheduled for next week.

Around Prague, based on reporting by Al Jazeera, BBC News