Khan denies supporting Hamas at Old Bailey trial
Protester accused of holding pro-Hamas placard and making speech outside Downing Street.
Incident → evidence → outcomeUrslaan Khan is on trial at the Old Bailey accused of supporting the proscribed group Hamas. The 44-year-old, from Poplar in east London, denies the charge. The court heard that the alleged offence occurred on October 17, 2023, outside Downing Street.
Video evidence shown to jury
Jurors were shown a video of Khan holding a placard and making a speech. The placard reportedly stated: “Hamas is the vanguard of the Resistance” on one side and “You won’t destroy Hamas” on the other. In the speech, Khan stated: “I support the physical force resistance in Palestine.” He also referred to the former home secretary, Suella Braverman, as “Cruella Deville, sorry, Suella Fernandez Braverman, does not scare me or my brothers.” He added: “I support armed resistance in Palestine. I support armed physical force resistance in the Holy Land.”
Opening the case, prosecutor Diana Wilson told the jury that the prosecution’s argument was that Khan directly linked his support to Hamas by referencing armed resistance while holding a message referring to the group. Ms Wilson stated that the use of the placard during the speech demonstrated Khan was expressing support for Hamas, which is a proscribed organisation. She noted that Khan’s actions took place during a period of heightened public tension concerning the Israel/Gaza conflict, following co-ordinated attacks by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023.
Incident details
The court heard that Khan was captured on CCTV outside the gates of Downing Street at 11:30am on October 17, 2023, carrying the placard and a megaphone. He allegedly asked a passer-by to film him as he activated the megaphone’s siren and delivered the speech. Police officers reported the incident, and Khan was stopped in Parliament Square at 12:02pm. When an officer pointed out the placard, Khan reportedly insisted it was a “direct quote”. He is also reported to have said he knew there was a “0% chance of me going to jail for it” and a “1% maybe” chance of it reaching the CPS threshold.
Khan was later arrested after making another speech at the Afghanistan War Memorial. The trial at the Old Bailey continues.
Questions this report answers
01What is Urslaan Khan accused of?
Urslaan Khan is accused of supporting Hamas. He is on trial at the Old Bailey for allegedly expressing support for the proscribed group outside Downing Street on October 17, 2023.
02What evidence has been presented in court?
Jurors have viewed a video of Khan holding a placard that reportedly read 'Hamas is the vanguard of the Resistance' and 'You won’t destroy Hamas'. He is also heard making a speech in the video.
03What did Khan allegedly say about Suella Braverman?
During a speech outside Downing Street, Khan allegedly referred to the former home secretary Suella Braverman as 'Cruella Deville'. He also stated that she did not scare him or his brothers.
04Has Urslaan Khan pleaded guilty?
No, Urslaan Khan, who is from Poplar in east London, has denied the charge against him. The trial at the Old Bailey is ongoing.
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