British man detained in US for praising Hamas

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https://www.telegraph.co.uk/us/news/2025/10/26/british-journalist-sami-hamdi-praise-oct-7-attacks-usa/?recomm_id=fce6bf65-fcf0-4052-bd88-52261c35ae4c

https://edition.cnn.com/2025/10/27/uk/sami-hamdi-detained-ice-intl

The Trump administration said its decision to detain Hamdi and revoke his visa underscores that the US has no obligation to host foreigners “who support terrorism and actively undermine the safety of Americans.”
But the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) has called Hamdi’s treatment a “blatant affront to free speech” and called for his release.

At an event in London in 2023 following Hamas’ October 7 attack, Hamdi called on the audience to “celebrate the victory.”

Anyone suggesting October 7th be celebrated is a risk since clearly supported terrorists actions. The UK seem to allow him to say what he wants. I hope they keep him in the US

He also said “How many of you felt it in your hearts when you got the news that it happened? How many of you felt the euphoria? Allahu Akbari!”

Glad he’s detained.

Play stupid games, win stupid prizes.

He sounds repugnant - from the article you linked:

Mr Hamdi also claimed widespread accounts of sexual violence committed by Hamas, a proscribed terror organisation in Britain and the US, had been fabricated by Israel.
Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli prime minister, “had to make a lie about rape”, he said at the same event, according to the National Post.
Mr Hamdi spoke at the annual gala of the Council on American-Islamic Relations (CAIR) Sacramento branch in California on Saturday, and had been scheduled to deliver another speech in Florida on Sunday.
Two Canadian universities last year cancelled scheduled speeches by Mr Hamdi as he embarked on a tour of campuses, according to the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.
A spokesman for Concordia, which banned the commentator, said at the time his remarks celebrated violence and that allowing him to talk would result in a “culture of intimidation”

I don't blame the US for deporting him back to the UK - just a shame we have to accept him!

I've just seen the Sky News article from Hamdi & his wife online, it doesn't say anything about him praising Hamas etc. It makes America sound dangerous to travel to, like they arrested & held him for 2 weeks for no evidenced reason & only released him once the media put pressure on....

Interesting. The BBC are reporting on it but not about this: https://unherd.com/newsroom/ucl-apologises-for-lecture-citing-antisemitic-blood-libel/.

It's in various papers but apparently not BBC news. Maybe they thought a hamas apologist being deported from US is more important than being dismissed from UK universities for perpetuating antisemitism. I guess if it's critical of Trump, it's news. But I would think UK parents would be interested in what's happening in universities even if the BBC isn't.

Ah well back to the usual citme focus, nothing to see elsewhere.

Good for them. Shame we aren’t equally robust

What a heinous man. Disgusting.

He needs to be on the 'watch list' his comments indicate support for terrorists.

Can’t compare US actions to UK ones. He’s British so he’s ours and can only be subject to criminal laws not immigration rules. He’s vile.

Yes he is indeed vile with vile views. However, it's come to the stage that he feels comfortable saying those things. He needs investigation for showing verbal support for Hamas.