A university student union officer from Hove has formally entered a not guilty plea after being charged with expressing support for Hamas just a day after the group’s militants entered Israel.
Hanin Barghouthi, 22, of Eaton Grove, Hove, is accused of a single count of expressing an “opinion or belief” in support of the banned organisation on Sunday 8 October under the Terrorism Act 2000.
On Saturday 7 October, militants from the terror group launched a surprise aerial assault to enter Israel from Gaza before killing more than 1,000 Israelis. Others were taken hostage.
Barghouthi, the student union women’s officer at Sussex University, is alleged to have made a speech that breached the Terrorism Act at the Clock Tower, in Brighton, the next day.
She appeared at Kingston Crown Court wearing a white blouse and black dress.
She spoke only to confirm her name and reply “not guilty, your honour” when the charge was put to her during the brief “arraignment” hearing.
The charge relates to a four-minute speech that was allegedly “supportive of the actions of Hamas that had taken place in Israel the day before”, a previous hearing at Westminster Magistrates’ Court was told.
Police became aware of it after a video began circulating on news websites on Wednesday 11 October and later made inquiries.
Judge Peter Lodder, the recorder of Richmond upon Thames, granted Barghouthi conditional bail until her trial begins on Monday 10 June in the same court.
The trial is expected to take three days.
Her bail conditions ban her from obtaining international travel documents or using a mobile phone not authorised by police unless in an emergency.
She is also required to live and sleep at her home address each night.
Judge Lodder told her: “If you break your conditions or if you fail to attend court as required, you will be committing an offence.”
Barghouthi is next due appear in court on Thursday 16 May for a case management hearing.
The video is surely sufficient evidence – why the expense of a jury? The jury will only end up being full of pro-‘Palestine’ supporters who will likely let her off, just like they don’t mind marching with Hamas supporters and antisemites.
We all saw her speech. She was celebrating! She said it was “beautiful” and how happy she was about it. She said “violent resistance is not terrorism”.
CHUCK HER OUT OF UNI AND DEPORT HER I’LL BE AT THE AIRPORT TO WAVE HER OFF GOOD RIDDANCE
yes bazza well said
Yes yes quite so
In her speech to members of Brighton PSC, the video shows her smiling , & describing the Hamas Genocide on 7th October as ” Beautiful & Inspiring”.
1,350 civilians were savagely murdered by Hamas terrorists that day.
I believe the replies above address every view, but.. why are “all hostages not yet released”???
They’re going to deport the law student at Manchester uni whys it taking so long to get rid of this one they’re both national security risks do mossad and shin bet know about greenstein ?