Tunisian man is found guilty of wearing headband in support of Hamas (msn.com)
Khaled Hajsaad, 24, who has been living in Birmingham, wore the clothing at a pro-Palestine rally in Trafalgar Square on November 25, 2023.
The green headband had the 'Shahada' written on it in white - the basic statement of the Islamic faith, the court was told previously.
The Tunisian man had previously told police the headband was 'an item of Saudi Arabia' and the Shahada was a 'statement of my faith'.
But Hajsaad was found guilty of wearing the item 'in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion' he was supporting Hamas - an illegal act in the UK where it is designated a terrorist group.
Khaled Hajsaad, 24, was today found guilty of wearing a headband in support of Hamas at a pro-Palestine rally in central London© Provided by Daily Mail
Hajsaad, who has been living in Birmingham, wore the clothing at a pro-Palestine rally in Trafalgar Square on November 25, 2023© Provided by Daily Mail
People gather in Trafalgar Square in London for a Pro-Palestine rally on November 25, the same day that Hajsaad was seen wearing the Hamas headband © Provided by Daily Mail
District Judge Nina Tempia balanced the expert witness evidence provided by two academics in the field, Professor Robert Gleave and Hugh Lovatt - before deciding that Hajsaad was guilty of the offence.
They spoke about the specific calligraphies of the Arabic script, as well as how closely it resembled the Saudi Arabian flag.
She said: 'Both witnesses I heard from are clearly experts in their field. Both Mr Lovatt and Professor Gleave agreed that the Shahada was a statement of faith.
'Professor Gleave accepted that in the conflict between Palestine and Israel there was no other organisation in the arena apart from Hamas that was readily associated with Shahada on a green background.
'I have to decide whether he was wearing it in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he was a supporter of that proscribed organisation.
'I am satisfied that the crown have proved their case to the criminal standard.
'Hamas is the most notable Palestinian group associated with the colour green and given the context of where the defendant was, wearing the headband on a pro-Palestine march, there would be no reason for someone to wear a headband of a Saudi flag.
'It clearly did not have the Saudi sword on it. I find the defendant guilty of the offence.
'I am satisfied so I am sure that the defendant wore an item of clothing, a green headband in such circumstances to arouse reasonable suspicion that he was a supporter of a proscribed terrorist organisation, namely Hamas.
A masked Hamas militant, holding an AK-47 rifle and wearing a headband that reads 'No gods only one God, Mohammed is Prophet of Allah' in Gaza City in 2002© Provided by Daily Mail
Prosecutor Gareth Weetman asked the judge to consider the 'distress' caused by Hajsaad's headband and referred to the atrocities against Israel civilians on 7 October.
He said: 'November 25th was the day in question and so it must be that the defendants actions lent support to a terrorist organisation very soon after acts by that terrorist organisation on the 7 October, which would have been extremely fresh and raw in the minds of very many people.
'Therefore causing distress, significant distress, to those who were targeted by that organisation both directly and in the wider sense.
'Images of those very high profile protests would have been broadcast worldwide.'
Mr Wainwright, defending, argued that there was 'no evidence of harm being caused, no evidence of distress to anybody by having seen the defendant wearing this item of clothing.
'This is not a factor the crown can rely on, or that the court can take into consideration'.
Judge Tempia said: 'I do find that the harm is serious and I have to agree that the nature of the offence when it happened, soon after the incident of 7 October, would have made significant distress to those who were observing the demonstration.'
Hajsaad, of Smethwick, Birmingham, is described as an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK a year ago. He had previously entered a not guilty plea.
He is due to be sentenced on June 21 at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
He remains on bail with a condition of reporting to a police station every Wednesday and Saturday.
- Khaled Hajsaad wore the clothing at a rally in Trafalgar Square on November 25
Khaled Hajsaad, 24, who has been living in Birmingham, wore the clothing at a pro-Palestine rally in Trafalgar Square on November 25, 2023.
The green headband had the 'Shahada' written on it in white - the basic statement of the Islamic faith, the court was told previously.
The Tunisian man had previously told police the headband was 'an item of Saudi Arabia' and the Shahada was a 'statement of my faith'.
But Hajsaad was found guilty of wearing the item 'in such a way or in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion' he was supporting Hamas - an illegal act in the UK where it is designated a terrorist group.
Khaled Hajsaad, 24, was today found guilty of wearing a headband in support of Hamas at a pro-Palestine rally in central London© Provided by Daily Mail
Hajsaad, who has been living in Birmingham, wore the clothing at a pro-Palestine rally in Trafalgar Square on November 25, 2023© Provided by Daily Mail
People gather in Trafalgar Square in London for a Pro-Palestine rally on November 25, the same day that Hajsaad was seen wearing the Hamas headband © Provided by Daily Mail
District Judge Nina Tempia balanced the expert witness evidence provided by two academics in the field, Professor Robert Gleave and Hugh Lovatt - before deciding that Hajsaad was guilty of the offence.
They spoke about the specific calligraphies of the Arabic script, as well as how closely it resembled the Saudi Arabian flag.
She said: 'Both witnesses I heard from are clearly experts in their field. Both Mr Lovatt and Professor Gleave agreed that the Shahada was a statement of faith.
'Professor Gleave accepted that in the conflict between Palestine and Israel there was no other organisation in the arena apart from Hamas that was readily associated with Shahada on a green background.
'I have to decide whether he was wearing it in such circumstances as to arouse reasonable suspicion that he was a supporter of that proscribed organisation.
'I am satisfied that the crown have proved their case to the criminal standard.
'Hamas is the most notable Palestinian group associated with the colour green and given the context of where the defendant was, wearing the headband on a pro-Palestine march, there would be no reason for someone to wear a headband of a Saudi flag.
'It clearly did not have the Saudi sword on it. I find the defendant guilty of the offence.
'I am satisfied so I am sure that the defendant wore an item of clothing, a green headband in such circumstances to arouse reasonable suspicion that he was a supporter of a proscribed terrorist organisation, namely Hamas.
A masked Hamas militant, holding an AK-47 rifle and wearing a headband that reads 'No gods only one God, Mohammed is Prophet of Allah' in Gaza City in 2002© Provided by Daily Mail
Prosecutor Gareth Weetman asked the judge to consider the 'distress' caused by Hajsaad's headband and referred to the atrocities against Israel civilians on 7 October.
He said: 'November 25th was the day in question and so it must be that the defendants actions lent support to a terrorist organisation very soon after acts by that terrorist organisation on the 7 October, which would have been extremely fresh and raw in the minds of very many people.
'Therefore causing distress, significant distress, to those who were targeted by that organisation both directly and in the wider sense.
'Images of those very high profile protests would have been broadcast worldwide.'
Mr Wainwright, defending, argued that there was 'no evidence of harm being caused, no evidence of distress to anybody by having seen the defendant wearing this item of clothing.
'This is not a factor the crown can rely on, or that the court can take into consideration'.
Judge Tempia said: 'I do find that the harm is serious and I have to agree that the nature of the offence when it happened, soon after the incident of 7 October, would have made significant distress to those who were observing the demonstration.'
Hajsaad, of Smethwick, Birmingham, is described as an asylum seeker who arrived in the UK a year ago. He had previously entered a not guilty plea.
He is due to be sentenced on June 21 at Westminster Magistrates' Court.
He remains on bail with a condition of reporting to a police station every Wednesday and Saturday.
