Birmingham jury fails to convict pro-Palestine activist accused of supporting Hamas

A jury was unable to convict a Palestinian activist who stands accused of supporting terrorism and encouraging support for a proscribed organisation - prompting a retrial.

Majid Freeman, also known as Majid Novsarka, from Leicester, appeared before Birmingham Crown Court on charges related to posts he made on X and Instagram in 2023 and 2024 for a two-week trial.

The activist faced charges of deliberately encouraging terrorism and openly supporting Hamas - claims the 38-year-old denied.

But after more than 13 and a half hours of deliberation, jurors told the court they could not reach a majority decision on any of the charges.

Outside the court, Freeman said he welcomed the "opportunity of a retrial, because it means the evidence of what Israel has done to Gaza...will once again be placed before a jury of the British public".

“The state exhausted considerable resources trying to prosecute me based on emoji, duas and posts online," said Freeman.

"And after almost a week of deliberation, the jury could not agree that I was guilty. They could not agree."

During the trial, Freeman’s defence team, led by Hossein Zahir KC, pushed back on the claims against him and said their client did not support Hamas but supports “Palestinian resistance”.

Other claims made against Freeman during the trial by the prosecution, led by Tom Williams KC, are that the activist was using his social media to promote and encourage acts of violence.

But during the trial, Freeman told the court that he did not support Hamas, but that he believed “everyone has the right to defend themselves”, including the use of force.

“I do not support Hamas as a group,” said Freeman.

"I believe that not just Hamas, but every group has the right to defend themselves against Israeli aggression.

Williams also questioned Freeman on why he had reposted a 2024 video clip from Middle East Eye that showed an Israeli soldier shooting an elderly Palestinian woman in Gaza, which the prosecution presented as evidence of his support for Hamas.

The court was told that Freeman used symbols, including a red triangle, which prosecutors claimed is linked to Hamas, and that his posts consistently “amplified Hamas’s voice”.

Freeman’s legal team urged the jury to consider his social media posts within the context of the ongoing war in Gaza, which they described as a genocide.

They noted that Freeman’s use of the hashtag #GazaResists reflected a focus on the broader cause rather than any specific group.

“He was trying to draw attention to what he believed was a genocide,” said Freeman’s defence.

“Social media is fast-moving and often harsh, but his intention was to raise awareness, not to incite violence.”

Earlier this year, an English court found Freeman not guilty on charges related to riots that took place between Hindu and Muslim youth in Leicester in 2022.

During the appeal, the court heard claims made by the police that Freeman pushed an officer, swore at them, and incited a fight with his language on the day of the Leicester riots in 2022.

Freeman's trial will take place again in September 2027 and is set to last four weeks.