March Updates on the Defence of Palestine Solidarity in Europe
Published on Fri Apr 04 2025Dear Friend,
In the past month, we’ve fought some crucial battles and secured a number of legal victories, which we bring to you in this month’s newsletter, along with some useful resources to continue mobilising for Palestine.
CASE UPDATES
High Court Grants Reduced Version of Cambridge University’s Draconian Injunction, Despite Threat to Protest Rights
The ELSC is currently supporting two cases before the High Court where British universities are attempting to severely restrict student activism both on and off their campuses by seeking injunctions against wide-ranging groups of ‘persons unknown’ from carrying out protest and solidarity actions for Palestine on or around university campus. You can help us defend the SOAS and Cambridge student encampments for Palestine by donating to the legal fund today! Read the full case update
Anti-Palestinian Repression in German companies – censorship and intimidation at Zalando
ELSC supported Mohamad S. in a lawsuit against unfair dismissal and an anti-discrimination complaint, which was favourably settled at the labour court Berlin (Arbeitsgericht Berlin). Mohamad is a marketing professional and was working at Zalando SE in Berlin as a Senior Media Testing manager but received a termination of his contract following his expression of solidarity with Palestine.
Mohamad holds a Lebanese nationality and was heavily affected by Israel’s latest assault on his country. He has been living in Germany since 2022, holding a central position at Zalando’s marketing department. Find out more about the case here
Student mobilisation at the University of Padova
Together with the researchers of the collective C.o.r.d.a and the Giovani Palestinesi d’Italia – Veneto, we submitted a FOI request to the University of Padova about the university’s links with institutions and companies complicit in Israel’s ongoing genocide in Gaza.
Other Italian academic institutions have previously suspended agreements with Israeli universities following growing student mobilisation for academic boycott, which the ELSC has been supporting. In the case of the University of Milan, for instance, we have provided legal research highlighting the nature of the university’s collaboration with the Israeli universities of Reichman and Ariel, following which collaboration was suspended. Read More.
The University of Padova, on the other hand, continues to maintain its ties and collaborates with Israeli universities and arms companies fuelling Israel’s continuous genocidal onslaught against Gaza. We will continue to stand with the student movement to end this impunity. SHEAR this update widely
BT3P’s fight against the Bundestag’s anti-BDS resolution in Germany continues
On 26th March 2025, the Federal Administrative Court (Bundesverwaltungsgericht) in Leipzig ruled over an extremely significant lawsuit concerning anti-Palestinian repression in Germany. This case pertains to the legal challenge against the Bundestag anti-BDS resolution and was initiated by the Palestinian-Jewish-German initiative Bundestag 3 for Palestine (BT3P) with the support of the European Legal Support Center (ELSC). The highest administrative court in Germany now officially confirmed this is a matter of constitutional level.
Please consider supporting their initiative financially.
Joint Public Statement in Response to Independent Inquiry into Antisemitism at Goldsmiths
Joint Statement from Goldsmiths Students Union , Goldsmiths UCU Executive Committee ,European Legal Support Center (ELSC) , British Society for Middle Eastern Studies (BRISMES) , BRICUP – British Committee for the Universities of Palestine (BRICUP) , Palestine Solidarity Campaign , International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), Muslim Association of Britain (MAB) , Forensic Architecture and Dr Ray Campbell, Teaching Fellow in Humanities at Royal Holloway, withdrawing engagement with the Independent Inquiry into Antisemitism at Goldsmiths following our loss of confidence in the inquiry. Read the full statement
SUPPORT THE LEGAL AID FUND
Setting up a small monthly donation to our legal aid fund can go a long way to ensure ELSC’s stability and security at this critical time where we face an all-time-high number of repression cases. We cannot do this alone, and we need your help to continue supporting the movement!
ELSC IN THE MEDIA
Our colleague Alexander, ELSC lawyer in Germany, was featured in Reclaim the Narratives, a visual documentation project amplifying voices and action for Palestinian freedom and liberation. Watch here:
Universities are escalating their crackdown on student protests using legal injunctions, suspensions, and arrests to silence dissent. Collective action is more urgent than ever. Students have always been at the forefront of movements for social change, and we will continue to stand with them to protect this legacy. Read More
RESOURCES OF SUPPORT
Police at your door: What to do?
Earlier this month, a Dutch protestor frequently demonstrating against the ongoing genocide in Palestine suddenly found two police officers at her doorstep. One of the two officers asked her about her upcoming plans in relation to future demonstrations. These sorts of intimidation practices are common practice for the police to silence not only the person targeted but also others through a chilling effect. By knowing our rights, we keep ourselves safe from these illegal acts committed by the state’s so-called law enforcers. Please check out these slides (in Dutch).
Pushing back against the language bans at demonstrations in Berlin
The language bans on Berlin Palestine demos represent a drastic attack on our right to assemble, and it’s time we’ve fought back! Several court rulings affirm the unlawfulness of this repression, see more
If you know more judgments and complaints related to the language bans, please send them to Kufiya Network, who is supporting the lawyers filing lawsuits against the language bans. Every verdict and every piece of writing can help in the trials.
3ezwa’s open consultations on your rights
Reach out to 3ezwa for open consultations. The consultations are offered in three languages (Arabic, German, and English) and provide free legal advice, contacts with lawyers in solidarity, trial support or financial aid. If you have received a letter from the police, need support with your trial, or want to know more about your rights, reach out to them!
3ezwa is completely volunteer run by a coalition of activists and groups unified by solidarity with the people of Palestine, dedicated to providing financial and legal support to those who experience repression in Germany for their commitment to the Palestinian cause. You can contribute to this mission by supporting the Palestine Legal Fund they have set up today.
OPEN VACANCIES
Apply to be our next Development Officer (Digital Campaigns and Fundraising)
Join our team to lead the ELSC’s development strategy for digital fundraising and campaigns! Applications close tomorrow, 4th April. Apply Now
