AN “alarming increase” in attacks against shows of Palestine solidarity in schools and workplaces has seen students being detained and isolated for expressing support, an analysis revealed today.  

Campaign and advocacy group Cage International has seen a 455 per cent increase in its caseload since the last upsurge in pro-Palestine crackdowns in 2021.

Between October and December 2023, Cage handled 214 cases spanning 118 schools and colleges, 35 workplaces, 35 protests, 13 universities, and 13 mosques.

The group said the rise indicated a “broad and alarming” clampdown on pro-Palestinian activity.

Some tactics employed by schools and workplaces include the removal of Palestine symbols or clothing, holding students in isolation rooms, alongside suspensions, exclusions and disciplinary actions against both parents and students.

In workplaces, criminal investigations, suspensions and immediate terminations have been reported.

William, a teacher whose name has been changed for anonymity, lost his job for expressing pro-Palestine views.

He told researchers: “I felt betrayed and abandoned by my school. I felt scapegoated just because I am a revert to Islam.

“It crushes my soul to know first-hand that my school thinks absolutely nothing of a literal genocide.

“Schools must stop saying they are impartial when they are in fact partial – for Israel.

“Staff must be allowed to think what they want as long as it abides by the law. We must stop censoring Muslims.”

The report also heard from Rasha Achhala, a Palestinian mother of an eight-year-old child at Barclay Primary School who was pulled out of class, placed in detention and bullied for wearing a Palestine badge on his jacket.

A planned protest outside the school took place today, which prompted the school to close early for Christmas.

The school’s administrator, the Lion Academy Trust, sent out a letter claiming that the early break was due to “the unwarranted escalation of direct threats against staff and the school based on misrepresentations, falsehoods and malicious fabrications.”

Ms Achhala said: “Our child has been traumatised by this experience.

“He has lost sleep and confidence, has felt hated and bullied and no longer trusts his own teachers, who should have been understanding and compassionate.

“Whilst dealing with the grief and sadness of losing our direct family members in Gaza, we did not expect grief and pain would land at our doorstep from my child’s own teachers.”

She said the school’s management had made it no longer a space for her son or anyone supporting Palestine, adding: “We are told about diversity and inclusion as British values, all we’ve seen is a double standard.

“We believe the headteacher must resign, the school must rebuild trust and my child [be] given all the support to help him recover.”

The family was allegedly warned they could be referred to government counter-terrorism programme Prevent over the dispute.

Barclay Primary said it would be “taking all the necessary steps to resolve this correctly.”

Cage head of public advocacy Anas Mustapha said: “The repression faced by our clients for their solidarity with Palestine is a reflection of the systemic Islamophobia, racism and anti-Palestinian discrimination prevalent in segments of society and government.

“The hostile environment created by the state has incentivised harsh penalties being imposed by the police, schools, universities, central and local government, as well as employers.”

An attack on the freedom of expression has also been targeted towards Jewish activist Tony Greenstein, who was arrested this week for a single tweet supporting Palestine.

In a post on X, formerly Twitter, on November 15, Mr Greenstein responded to a post targeting black Jewish activist Jackie Walker saying he preferred Hamas to the Israeli army.

Police arrived at his home on Wednesday morning, seized his phone and laptop and held Mr Greenstein in custody for nine hours.

Mr Greenstein is one of several Palestine Action supporters involved in protests against Israeli weapons maker Elbit System’s factories.

A global day of action took place against the company’s sites on Wednesday, including in Leicester, Birmingham and Bristol.