UK bans US Muslim preacher Shadee Elmasry for praising resistance against Israel

The UK has banned a prominent American Muslim preacher from entering the country over social media posts in which he criticised the West's support for Israel.

Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood revoked travel authorisation for Dr Shadee Elmasry just days before he was scheduled to arrive in Britain on Sunday, to give talks in Birmingham, Bolton and Ilford.

Elmasry's speaking tour was organised by the Global Relief Trust (GRT), a Muslim charity.

The preacher and scholar, who said his message "has always been about compassion and connection", was banned after a social media post was circulated on X which he wrote a day after the 7 October 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.

Elmasry had posted: "They are all in this (fake or real) state of shock that the people of Gaza finally punched back (after 50 years).

"In contrast, the very same people would celebrate a similar kind of attack from Ukraine against Putin."

Other posts which were circulated included one in which he had said: "If we’re going to educate people about Hamas, you must also talk about the source of all this bloodshed: the Hagana and Irgun [Zionist militias established before the creation of Israel]. History didn’t begin on October 7."

In another post, he had said: "It’s conceivable and maybe even expected that a legitimate resistant [sic] movement will make condemnable mistakes or go to excesses every once in a while.

"That doesn’t take anything away from the morality of their resistance."

'I love England and the people of England'

The Daily Telegraph quoted a source close to Mahmoud saying: "There is no place in the UK for foreign nationals who spread hate or push extremist ideas. Those seeking to divide our communities will not be allowed to enter to the UK."

In response to being banned, Elmasry said: "I agree with the home secretary that there is no place in the UK for hate and extremism, which is why a lot of people are saying this will all be overturned. 

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"My message has always been about compassion and connection. I love England and the people of England, lived there for four years, and am excited to get back."

Elmasry is director of education and community affairs at the New Brunswick Islamic Center in New Jersey. He is also the founder of the Safina Society, which says it promotes traditional Islamic education.

In a talk livestreamed on the Safina Society's YouTube channel last week, Elmasry addressed the criticism of his post which said "that the people of Gaza finally punched back".

He remarked: "Where is the support for Hamas in this? Because I never said I support Hamas. I can't support what I don't know.

"I do know that the United Nations has allowed... the UN has deemed it lawful to fight back against illegal occupation," he added.

"To say that somebody punched back, does that actually say you support it? No, I can't support what I don't know. I don't know all the inner workings of any political group."

Hamas is a proscribed terrorist organisation in Britain.

Campaign by pro-Israel figures

The British government's decision to ban Elmasry from entering the country comes after a social media campaign by pro-Israel activists.

On 26 December, an anonymous X account named "habibi" posted about Elmasry's planned visit to Britain and claimed the preacher "likes Hamas, conspiracy rubbish, and stoning, chopping, and lashing. He hates Jews and the West."

Three days later, on 29 December, Conservative MP Nick Timothy posted: "An American Islamist preacher who praises Hamas is booked for a UK tour next month.

"This is not rational debate," he claimed. "It’s giving a platform to incitement and violent extremism."

Timothy said: "The home secretary has strong powers to exclude foreign nationals whose presence here would not be conducive to the public good. 

"In the case of Shadee Elmasry, she should use them without hesitation."