Ismail Uddin, a Muslim councillor and University of Leeds student in the UK, has accused the institution of suppressing free speech after receiving a formal warning for attending pro-Palestine protests in 2024.  

Initially accused of threatening staff and impersonation—claims later dropped—he was penalised for breaching health and safety rules during an "unauthorised" protest. Uddin argues the university’s protest guidance was published retroactively, calling it an attempt to silence activism. 

Tensions rose over the university’s employment of Rabbi Zecharia Deutsch, an IOF chaplain who returned after serving in Israel’s war on Gaza. Students protested his presence, citing his role in a conflict that has killed over 48,000 Palestinians by February 2025. A petition for his removal gained 12,000 signatures, and the Muslim chaplain resigned in protest, highlighting the UK campus’s divisive stance on the issue. 

Uddin’s case highlights the struggle for Palestinian solidarity in academia, where activism often faces institutional pushback. As Israel’s war on Gaza continues, students in the UK and globally advocating for justice navigate punitive measures, raising concerns about free expression and university accountability. The University of Leeds’ actions reflect a broader trend of institutions grappling with political activism on contentious international issues.