The University of Birmingham has dismissed allegations against students Mariyah Ali and Antonia Listrat, following a year-long battle over racially charged accusations stemming from their Palestine solidarity protests.

The University of Birmingham’s Misconduct and Fitness to Practise Committee found no evidence of wrongdoing against Ali and Listrat, after a defense supported by the European Legal Support Centre (ELSC), according to an ELSC report on Saturday.

“For nearly a year, both students faced distressing disciplinary proceedings solely for protesting the university’s complicity in the ongoing genocide in Gaza,” ELSC stated.

The report added that the allegations were rooted in Islamophobic and racialized stereotypes, unfairly portraying Palestine solidarity as ‘threatening’ or ‘intimidating’ dissent.

According to ELSC, the case reflects a broader and well-documented pattern of UK universities weaponizing disciplinary procedures to suppress Palestine solidarity, disproportionately targeting Muslim and racialized students.

“These institutions have increasingly aligned themselves with UK government policies that fund, arm, and politically support the mass killing of Palestinians,” the report highlighted.

ELSC noted that through investments, research partnerships, and political alliances, universities like Birmingham have become complicit in sustaining the siege and violence, shifting campuses away from critical inquiry toward institutional repression and political compliance.

In a statement following the dismissal, Ali said the ‘distressing’ and ‘drawn-out’ process lasting 11 months had taken a serious toll on her and Antonia’s academic and personal well-being.

Despite the challenges they faced, Ali affirmed their commitment to activism, stating they would not be deterred.

“The University of Birmingham attempted to punish us for protesting its complicity in the genocide of Palestinians—yet, it lost. Every single allegation was found to be baseless and unproven.”

“Your attempts to silence us have failed. The student movement for Palestine is growing stronger, and we will not stop until full disclosure, divestment, and the protection of our right to speak out,” she stated.

Listrat also emphasized that protesting is ‘an integral part of campus life’ that represents a healthy and progressive society.

“Enabling genocide and profiting from human rights violations is a violent stance that the University of Birmingham has taken. Funding genocide is violent; protesting genocide is peaceful,” she added.

The targeting of students is part of a wider global crackdown on pro-Palestine activism, following the Israeli regime’s genocidal war in Gaza, which has resulted in over 54,700 Palestinian deaths since the war began 20 months ago.

In the UK, at least 28 universities have disciplined more than 113 students for activism, according to reports.

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