UK Court Clears Sarah Cotte of Voicing Support for Hamas in University Speech

A London court has cleared a British woman of supporting the Palestinian group Hamas in a speech delivered outside her university in October 2023. The jury at the Central Criminal Court, widely known as the Old Bailey, returned a not-guilty verdict on Friday for 22-year-old Sarah Cotte, who had faced allegations of expressing support for a group designated as a terrorist organization under United Kingdom law.

Public prosecutors had argued that Cotte voiced support for Hamas just two days after the group led the deadly attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. According to the court proceedings, Cotte gave a speech outside the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London on October 9, 2023, during which she expressed "unconditional solidarity" with the Palestinian resistance. Prosecutors contended that this phrasing served as a thinly veiled reference to Hamas.

Throughout the legal proceedings, Cotte consistently rejected attempts to conflate her statements with support for Hamas. Testifying during the week-long trial, she maintained, "I don't support Hamas and I have never supported Hamas. I was supporting the right to resist." On the final day of the trial, she reiterated her stance to the jurors, arguing that her remarks focused exclusively on backing Palestinians' right to resist occupation rather than endorsing the militant group itself.

Addressing her comments regarding the October 7 attacks, Cotte told the court that while she viewed the killing of civilians as a tragedy, she did not find it surprising. She further explained to the jury that viewing an event as understandable is distinct from agreeing with it, stating, "I think saying it is understandable and agreeing with it is two different things, so I think it is understandable and could be justified." She added that she did not believe it was her role to impose conditions on the Palestinian people and their struggle.

Following the verdict on Friday, Cotte spoke to Al Jazeera, characterizing the court’s decision as a reflection of public sentiment regarding British support for Zionism. She stated that she used the platform to highlight the Palestinian struggle, British policy, and the rights of people of conscience, adding that the outcome would re-energize the broader solidarity movement.

The case highlights the strict legal framework surrounding proscribed organizations in the United Kingdom. Hamas was officially proscribed in its entirety by the UK government in late 2021, extending an earlier 2001 ban on its military wing, the Qassam Brigades. Individuals found guilty of supporting such designated organizations under UK law can face sentences of up to 14 years in prison.

The legal scrutiny surrounding Cotte extended over more than two and a half years of investigations and court proceedings, following her initial arrest on January 31, 2024. Notably, an earlier trial had already cleared her of a second charge, which alleged she expressed support for Hamas within a WhatsApp group chat.

Reactions to the Old Bailey verdict highlighted ongoing debates regarding free expression and activism concerning the Middle East conflict. Anas Mustapha, head of Public Advocacy at CAGE International, welcomed the decision in comments following the trial. Mustapha stated that the ruling demonstrated that ordinary people would not accept what he termed the criminalization of speech supporting the Palestinian right to resist occupation, while expressing relief for Cotte, her family, and supporters who stood by her throughout the prolonged legal process.