An Iranian exile was arrested at a pro-Hamas protest in London for allegedly making a racist gesture while waving the St George’s Cross flag and eating a banana. Niyak Ghorbani, who describes himself as an “Iranian guest in the UK”, has been a regular presence at anti-Israel protests in London carrying a sign that reads “Hamas are Terrorists”. Despite reflecting the legal position of the UK government, which designates Hamas as a terrorist group, Ghorbani has been arrested multiple times for his sign.
Most recently, Ghorbani was arrested for eating a banana and carrying the flag of England during the protest. Police told him that the St George’s flag is sometimes associated with racism and that eating a banana could be interpreted as a racist gesture. Bananas have become a symbol at anti-Hamas protests following an incident at the University of California Los Angeles where bananas were banned due to an allergy.
Ghorbani denies the allegations of racism, stating that he was simply using the banana to mock the pro-Palestinian protestors, not to make racist gestures. Despite previous arrests for alleged assaults on protestors, Ghorbani maintains that he has been targeted for his legal statements and counter-protests. He has faced restrictions from attending protests in the past but was later allowed to participate. However, after the banana incident, Ghorbani is now banned from entering certain London boroughs and attending “pro-Palestine” demonstrations.
