UK Home Office revokes Swedish academic's travel authorization ahead of pro-Palestine panel
The British Home Office cancelled Swedish climate activist Andreas Malm's Electronic Travel Authorisation, citing public-interest concerns, days before he was scheduled to speak at a panel with a proscribed activist group.
The UK Home Office withdrew the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) of Swedish academic Andreas Malm on Wednesday, stating that his presence in the United Kingdom was not considered conducive to the public good. The cancellation came a week before Malm was due to appear on a panel organised by the socialist magazine Tribune, which also featured Huda Ammori, a co-founder of the proscribed group Palestine Action.
Malm, a lecturer at Lund University and author of several books on climate activism, told Al Jazeera that he had not publicly discussed Palestine in recent months and that the only factor he could identify was his scheduled participation in the panel. He said he had used an ETA for a visit in May and received no prior warning before the revocation notice.
In the Home Office email, Malm was advised to apply for a standard visitor visa, which typically takes three weeks to process, meaning he would not obtain clearance in time for the event. The agency did not provide a detailed explanation for the decision, and Al Jazeera reported that the Home Office had not responded to requests for comment.
"I have been going regularly to the UK for decades. My position on Palestine has always been public," Malm said.
"If I’m now being deemed a threat to the public good because I’m supposed to have a conversation with someone from Palestine Action, this is guilt by association. Where does it stop?"
The revocation occurs amid a broader series of actions by the UK government targeting pro-Palestine activism, including the proscription of Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation and the removal of author Sally Rooney's books from UK retailers after her public support for the group. Human-rights organisations have criticised the proscription, and some commentators have described the measures as restrictive of free speech.
Political economist Gareth Dale of Brunel University said the decision suggests a continuation of policies that limit expression, adding that Malm has not been charged with any offence.
The Home Office’s stance underscores the requirement for nationals of visa-exempt countries to obtain an ETA for entry, and it indicates that revocation can be applied without detailed justification.