Three given conditional discharge over ‘paraglider’ imagery invoking Hamas attack

Three South London women who displayed images supporting Hamas at a pro-Palestine demonstration have been found guilty of a terrorism offence.

Heba Alhayek, 29, and Pauline Ankunda, 26, displayed paraglider imagery on the backs of their shirts during a protest in central London on October 14, last year.

Noimutu Taiwo, 27, stuck a paraglider picture to a placard she was carrying at the protest.

Paragliders were used by Hamas in launching their terrorist attack in Israel on October 7 last year.

During a two-day trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Brett Weaver said: “The displaying of these images could be viewed as celebrating the use of the paragliders’ tactic.”

But Mark Summers KC, representing Alhayek and Ankunda, said police had “mistaken” what they saw and were fed a narrative by partisan social media groups.

Alhayek, Ankunda and Taiwo were each found guilty of displaying an article in such a way as to arouse reasonable suspicion that they were either members or supporters of a Proscribed Organisation, namely Hamas (contrary to Section 13 of the Terrorism Act 2000).

They were each given a 12-month conditional discharge.

Detective Chief Superintendent Hayley Sewart, of the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, said: “The images that circulated on social media of these women caused widespread outrage.

“This was a unique case examined in detail by a senior judge, and the case built by officers has led to guilty verdicts. In the context of the pro-Palestine protests we have seen in London, we have always been clear that showing support for a terror group is a criminal offence, and anyone who does this faces arrest and prosecution.

“The right to protest is always coupled with a responsibility for those protesting to act lawfully. The Met will pursue anyone suspected of committing criminal offences at protests.”

Officers from the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command supporting Op Brocks – the response to the ongoing conflict in Israel and Gaza and its impact in London – launched an investigation after officers became aware of images on social media of the three women at the October 14 protest.

Police made a public appeal to trace the women on October 27. Alhayek and Ankunda subsequently attended a police station on October 30, and were arrested. They were charged on November 3. Taiwo was arrested on November 8, and charged the following day.

The Met still has a number of active investigations and outstanding suspects linked to alleged offences committed at protests held in central London in recent months.

Pictured top: Heba Alhayek, left, and Pauline Ankunda arrive at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Picture: PA)