Andreas Malm, a climate researcher and professor at Lund University in Sweden, announced on Friday that his entry to the UK has been banned due to plans to speak alongside Huda Amouri, one of the founders of the Palestine Action group, which has been designated as a terrorist organization in the UK.
Reasons for the Entry Ban
Malm stated in an interview with BBC Radio 4 that the UK Home Office sent him a message saying that "his presence in the UK is not in the public interest," without providing further explanations. He suggested that his entry ban might be related to his participation in an event next Wednesday organized by a socialist magazine.
Malm emphasized that he has never publicly supported the Palestine Action group and that his sole purpose for traveling to the UK was to conduct his scientific and research work. He said: "I have traveled to the UK for years to conduct scientific research and participate in conferences, and this time my main purpose is the same."
The Role of Statements and Comments
In response to a question about the connection between his entry ban and his previous statements regarding Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, which he described as an "act of liberation," Malm said that "there is a possibility." He also referenced his book titled "How to Blow Up a Pipeline," in which he emphasizes the need for radical action to prevent fossil fuel extraction.
It should be noted that the UK Supreme Court is set to review the ban on the Palestine Action group under terrorism laws next week, which considers supporting this group a crime. Previously, Irish author Sally Rooney had also announced that her books would no longer be sold in the UK due to financial support for Palestine Action.
In June, the UK banned the entry of leftist media personality Chunk Uyger and his nephew Hassan Peikar due to their participation in prohibited events. Additionally, the travel of some right-wing ministers from Israel to the UK has also been restricted.
