Hackney Greens support wearing the keffiyeh
JVL Introduction
UK Lawyers for Israel are up to their old tricks; having weaponised antisemitism to attack Corbynism in the Labour Party, they are now determined to attack the Green Party with all their might for daring to criticise Israel and/or show support for Palestinians. They wrote to the Chief Executive of Hackney Council to complain about a Green Councillor “wearing a keffiyeh on the council’s “Your Councillors” webpage (saying this) was causing distress to at least one Jewish resident of the borough.” They gleefully posted that the Council Removed the “offending” Photograph.However, Hackney Greens are standing firm.
JVL we wrote to the Chief Executive, Mayor, Leader of the Council and copied all councillors to offer our support and solidarity. We received many positive responses and just a few days later were delighted to see the Open Letter, which we post below, unequivocally refuting UKLFI’s claims, demanding the reinstatement of the original photograph and noting that the complaint comes from an organisation about which many complaints have been made.
The Open letter has detailed references and is one of the best we have seen for highlighting what was wrong with the complaint, including that they regard conflating Jewishness with support for Israel’s actions as antisemitic in itself.
Below the open letter is our own.
Earlier in June Jewish News reported a meeting between Hackney Green and other Councillors with the Haredi community as being a positive event. This clearly shows that the Green Councillors’ support for freedom and justice for the Palestinian people in no way detracts from them working to ensure that the needs of Jewish people in the borough are met.
This article was originally published by Open Letter.earth on Tue 16 Jun 2026. Read the original here.
Open letter to Hackney Council
Inviting signatures from councillors, Hackney residents and organisations
To: Chief Executive Officer, London Borough of Hackney
Copied to Mayor of Hackney; Members of Hackney Council; UK Lawyers for Israel
Dear Chief Executive,
We are calling for the reinstatement of Councillor Brenda Puech’s “Your Councillors” photograph without delay
Councillor Brenda Puech’s official “Your Councillors” photograph was removed from Hackney Council’s website after an intervention by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). [1] She did not consent to its removal and was not consulted on the decision. Mayor Zoë Garbett and her Cabinet were not consulted, do not agree with the decision, and subsequent requests the Mayor has made for the photograph to be reinstated have not been accepted by Hackney Council officers. We call for the immediate reinstatement of the photograph.
Our reasons in summary
1. The photograph was removed without consultation with Cllr Puech, the Mayor of Hackney, or any representative of the Green Group of councillors.
2. The limited company UKLFI — which claimed responsibility for and publicly celebrated the removal of the photograph [2] — had its view considered by Hackney Council. Cllr Puech, in contrast, was not permitted to make any representations in her defence before the decision was taken, which contravenes the principle of natural justice. [3]
3. UKLFI contends “the keffiyeh is a divisive political symbol which many Jewish and Israeli residents associate with hostility towards Israel and, in some cases, with terrorist organisations and antisemitism”. [4] This claim made by UKLFI is unfounded, designed to intimidate, and an attack on freedom of expression, belief and conscience protected under Articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
4. Conflation of Jewishness with support for the actions and policies of the State of Israel is an antisemitic position. We will always reject this conflation.
The account given by UKLFI
According to UKLFI’s website:
“In a letter sent on 3 June 2026 to Hackney Council’s Chief Executive, Dawn Carter-McDonald, UKLFI argued that the inclusion of a photograph showing Councillor Puech wearing a keffiyeh on the council’s ‘Your Councillors’ webpage was causing distress to at least one Jewish resident of the borough.
UKLFI contended that the keffiyeh is a divisive political symbol which many Jewish and Israeli residents associate with hostility towards Israel and, in some cases, with terrorist organisations and antisemitism.
UKLFI explained that displaying the image on an official council website could create an intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for Jewish residents and employees, and argued that Councillor Puech’s continued use of the keffiyeh while undertaking council business could potentially engage provisions of the Equality Act 2010. The letter also referred to Hackney Council’s Code of Conduct and the Public Sector Equality Duty.
UKLFI asked the council to ensure that Councillor Puech refrained from wearing the keffiyeh while carrying out council business and requested that an alternative official photograph be used on the council’s website.
The original photograph, reproduced in the appendix to UKLFI’s letter, showed Councillor Puech wearing a black-and-white keffiyeh in her official council portrait photograph. The appendix also included examples from her social media showing her wearing similar attire.
Following UKLFI’s intervention, the photograph of Councillor Puech wearing the keffiyeh was removed from Hackney Council’s website.
A spokesperson for UKLFI said: ‘We welcome Hackney Council’s decision to remove the photograph. Public authorities should be mindful of the impact that politically charged symbols can have on members of different communities and should ensure that official council communications remain inclusive for all residents.'” [5]
Wearing a keffiyeh in solidarity with the Palestinian people is not antisemitism
The keffiyeh expresses solidarity with the Palestinian people. To treat the wearing of a keffiyeh as an attack on Jewish residents conflates the Jewish people with the State of Israel. Solidarity with the Palestinian people is not antisemitism.
Five members of the Green Group of councillors in Hackney are proudly Jewish and steadfastly reject the conflation of Jewishness with the State of Israel. This conflation does not make Jewish communities safer. As with the actions of UKLFI — which have resulted in sustained online abuse of Cllr Puech — this conflation causes division and anxiety in our communities during a moment where all forms of racism and prejudice are on the rise. We will not accept Hackney’s communities being divided by organisations like UKLFI. Hackney residents deserve better.
The conduct of UK Lawyers for Israel
UKLFI Limited is not a regulated law firm or a charity. According to its website, it is a limited company established for six stated purposes:
“UKLFI Limited is established for the following purposes:
1. to provide, assist in providing, procure or promote the provision of legal support including advocacy, research, advice and campaigning in combating attempts to undermine, attack and/or delegitimise Israel, Israeli organisations, Israelis and / or supporters of Israel
2. to organise basic training for lawyers on international law and Israel, to enable them to engage in a balanced way in public debates
3. to provide, assist in providing, procure or promote the provision of assistance to students at university who require protection against anti-semitism, hate speech etc, to help them exercise their rights under the general law and the regulations of their universities
4. to enable networking among like-minded lawyers in the United Kingdom and the efficient sharing of resources, experience and best practices
5. to foster links with, support and co-operate with like-minded groups from the United States, Europe, Israel and other countries
6. to contribute generally as lawyers to creating a supportive climate of opinion in the United Kingdom towards Israel.”
UKLFI regularly uses a similar methodology. It writes to an institution — such as a hospital, university, cinema, art gallery, students’ union, employer, or Council — and asserts that some expression of solidarity with Palestinians is unlawful. UKLFI regularly alleges a breach of the Equality Act 2010, the Charities Act 2011, a planning rule, or a Code of Conduct. This has already affected the beloved Rio Cinema in Hackney. [6]
These letters create an immediate problem for the institution on the receiving end: the serious risk of time-consuming litigation, legal costs and reputational damage. These are all reasonable concerns, especially for institutions drained of resources by nearly two decades of austerity.
The methodology of UKLFI works not because the claims are necessarily legally sound. It works because institutions and organisations change their behaviour before UKLFI’s legal claims are tested in court. The risk of standing firm is too great.
Standing up to UKLFI
When UKLFI wrote to the Co-operative Group opposing a members’ motion to end trade with the State of Israel, 73% of members passed it anyway. The Co-operative then announced it would stop sourcing from the State of Israel altogether. [7]
The campaign UKLFI supported against a Palestinian student, Dana Abu Qamar, ended with the decision against her overturned on appeal. [8]
Complaints against legal professionals working with UKLFI have been filed with the Solicitors Regulation Authority and the Bar Standards Board. [9] At the moment, UKLFI Charitable Trust — a separate registered charity established in 2016 — is also the subject of an open Charity Commission investigation. [10] No findings have been made in these cases yet, but UKLFI Limited and UKLFI Charitable Trust are being asked to publicly justify their methodology, which itself is a victory for transparency.
We have not seen UKLFI’s letter to Hackney Council. We can only respond to what UKLFI states publicly on its website. But the same kind of letter from UKLFI has led to institutions removing children’s artwork about Palestine from a hospital wall; [11] Palestine flags from council buildings; [12] and Palestine badges from the uniforms of airport and healthcare workers. [13]
Hackney has now been added to that list.
It does not escape our attention that the photograph of Cllr Puech wearing her keffiyeh — which UKLFI states was “causing distress to at least one Jewish resident of the borough” [14] — now appears for all to see on UKLFI’s website.
No councillor, in any party, deserves to be intimidated by a letter of this kind
We do not believe that wearing a keffiyeh in solidarity with Palestinians is unlawful under the Equality Act 2010. It is an expression of solidarity and identity. Freedom of expression, belief and conscience are protected in a democratic society and under Articles 9 and 10 ECHR. [15] An elected representative does not surrender that protection by taking office. We believe unwaveringly in freedom of expression.
We believe it is important that UKLFI’s legal claims are tested in the public sphere, not behind closed doors. This is especially vital where the damage done to individuals and organisations can be financially devastating — and where the democratic right to freedom of expression is threatened by a “chilling effect”. [16]
We also think it is important for UKLFI’s methodology to be transparent and understood by the people of Hackney and across the United Kingdom. This ensures that when a Council — or any other local organisation — receives a letter from UKLFI, local residents have the full context.
For that reason, we have taken the decision to publish this letter for Hackney residents and communities to read, so that they understand the choices that their elected representatives — and Hackney Council officers — are making. We believe this is healthy for local democracy, especially when trust in politics is at rock bottom.
Our request
We believe that reinstating Councillor Puech’s photograph is the right thing to do — both legally and morally. We ask that it be done without delay.
Yours sincerely,
Cllr Tyrone Scott — Leader of the Green Group, Hackney
Cllr Ülgen Semerci — Deputy Leader of the Green Group, Hackney
Cllr George Sheldon Grün — Convenor of the Green Group, Hackney
Cllr Dr. Cathy Troupp — Green Group, Hackney
Cllr Jas Crowe — Green Group, Hackney
Notes & references
[1] UK Lawyers for Israel, “Hackney Council removes councillor’s keffiyeh photograph following UKLFI complaint”, 4 June 2026, uklfi.com/hackney-council-removes-councillors-keff… ; Hackney Citizen, “Green councillor’s portrait removed from Hackney website after keffiyeh complaint”, 11 June 2026, hackneycitizen.co.uk/2026/06/11/green-councillor-p…
[2] UK Lawyers for Israel, “Hackney Council removes councillor’s keffiyeh photograph following UKLFI complaint”, 4 June 2026, uklfi.com/hackney-council-removes-councillors-keff…
[3] Board of Education v Rice [1911] AC 179, 182 (Lord Loreburn LC: “they must act in good faith and fairly listen to both sides, for that is a duty lying upon everyone who decides anything”), commonlii.org/uk/cases/UKLawRpAC/1911/18.html… ; R v SSHD, ex p Doody [1994] 1 AC 531, 560D–G (Lord Mustill: “(5) Fairness will very often require that a person who may be adversely affected by the decision will have an opportunity to make representations on his own behalf either before the decision is taken with a view to producing a favourable result; or after it is taken, with a view to procuring its modification; or both. (6) Since the person affected usually cannot make worthwhile representations without knowing what factors may weigh against his interests fairness will very often require that he is informed of the gist of the case which he has to answer”), applied in Bank Mellat v HM Treasury (No 2) [2013] UKSC 39 at §30 (Lord Sumption), https://www.bailii.org/uk/cases/UKSC/2013/39.html
[4] UK Lawyers for Israel, “Hackney Council removes councillor’s keffiyeh photograph following UKLFI complaint”, 4 June 2026, uklfi.com/hackney-council-removes-councillors-keff…
[5] UK Lawyers for Israel, “Hackney Council removes councillor’s keffiyeh photograph following UKLFI complaint”, 4 June 2026, uklfi.com/hackney-council-removes-councillors-keff…
[6] UK Lawyers for Israel, “Rio Cinema Reported to Charity Commission”, 28 March 2024, uklfi.com/rio-cinema-reported-to-charity-commissio…
[7] “Co-op members vote to ban Israeli goods from shelves”, The Grocer, 17 May 2025, thegrocer.co.uk/news/co-op-members-vote-to-ban-isr… ; “Co-op to stop trading with Israel as retailer changes sourcing policy”, Food Manufacture, 24 June 2025, foodmanufacture.co.uk/Article/2025/06/24/co-op-to-…
[8] Garden Court Chambers, “Palestinian student leader wins free speech challenge to visa revocation”, 6 November 2024, gardencourtchambers.co.uk/news/palestinian-student… ; R (Abu Qamar) v Secretary of State for the Home Department, HU/6419/2023 (First-tier Tribunal, Immigration and Asylum Chamber, 15 October 2024); UK Lawyers for Israel, “Revocation of Palestinian Law Student’s Visa Overruled”, 18 May 2024, uklfi.com/palestinian-law-student-claims-home-offi…
[9] European Legal Support Centre and Public Interest Law Centre, “ELSC & PILC File Legal Complaint Against UK Lawyers for Israel Patrons”, 21 May 2026, https://elsc.support/elsc-pilc-file-legal-complaint-against-uk-lawyers-for-israel-patrons/ ; Middle East Eye, “Legal groups file complaint against barristers over role in UK Lawyers for Israel”, 21 May 2026, middleeasteye.net/news/legal-groups-file-complaint… ; Public Interest Law Centre, “SRA complaint filed against UK Lawyers for Israel”, 13 August 2025, pilc.org.uk/blog/sra-complaint-filed-against-uk-la…
[10] Middle East Eye, “Charity Commission launches investigation into UK Lawyers for Israel’s charitable trust”, 25 July 2025, middleeasteye.net/news/charity-commission-launches… (UK Lawyers for Israel Limited is distinct from the UKLFI Charitable Trust, a separate registered charity established in 2016 to raise funds for those of UKLFI’s activities that are charitable under UK law.)
[11] Middle East Eye, “Gaza children’s artwork removed from London hospital after legal action threat”, 2 March 2023, middleeasteye.net/news/uk-gaza-children-artwork-lo…
[12] Local Government Lawyer, “London borough to remove Palestinian flags amid legal threat”, 18 March 2024, localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk/planning/401-planning-…
[13] The Jewish Chronicle, “Heathrow Airport backtracks on Palestinian flag badges”, 1 July 2024, thejc.com/news/uk/heathrow-airport-backtracks-on-p… ; Leigh Day, “Barts Health NHS Trust employees challenge discriminatory uniform policy silencing Palestinian support”, 19 June 2025, leighday.co.uk/news/press-releases/2025-news/barts…
[14] UK Lawyers for Israel, “Hackney Council removes councillor’s keffiyeh photograph following UKLFI complaint”, 4 June 2026, uklfi.com/hackney-council-removes-councillors-keff…
[15] Eweida and Others v The United Kingdom (2013) (Applications nos. 48420/10, 59842/10, 51671/10 and 36516/10), https://hudoc.echr.coe.int/eng?i=001-115881 ; Higgs v Farmor’s School [2025] EWCA Civ 109 (CA; Underhill VP, Bean and Falk LJJ; 12 February 2025), bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2025/109.html…
[16] European Legal Support Centre, On All Fronts: The Multi-Sited Repression of Palestine Solidarity in Britain, February 2026, https://elsc.support/uk-data/ ; European Legal Support Centre, Britain’s Index of Repression, https://elsc.support/index-of-repression/
JVL’s letter on this issue
Dear Hackney Councillors,
We were extremely concerned to see the statement issued by UK Lawyers for Israel, Hackney Council Removes Councillor’s Keffiyeh Photograph Following UKLFI Complaint
The statement makes many free-standing assertions about the claimed offensive nature of wearing a keffiyeh, which say little about the significance of the keffiyeh but a good deal about UKLFI’s ill-informed partisanship. The keffiyeh is a part of Palestinian dress, and wearing one expresses support for the legitimate aspirations of the Palestinian people to live in peace and freedom. It is widely worn by Palestinians as a national symbol and supporters elsewhere display it to show solidarity with the rights of Palestinians, as encoded in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. It is not supporting terrorism nor is it antisemitic to wear it. Attempting to censor it is both racist and part of the ongoing attempt to nullify those rights.
Hackney Green Councillors were elected on a platform that included opposition to the genocide in Gaza. Their manifesto commits them to divestment from companies complicit in Israel’s war crimes and human rights abuses and to de-twin Hackney from Haifa. Wearing a keffiyeh is a symbolic way of identifying with the programme on which Cllr Puech was elected. UKLFI may not like that programme but that does not give them the right to try to demand that Council officials overrule the wishes of the Hackney electorate.
UKLFI habitually use extravagant legal threats to intimidate their targets into compliance. The claim that wearing a keffiyeh breaches the Equality Act and the Public Sector Equality Duty are typical examples of this misuse of legal terminology. It is shocking that Hackney Council has acceded to these threats.
We hope and expect that the Council will reverse their decision to impose censorship on political expression and reinstate Cllr Puech’s photograph.
Yours sincerely
Leah Levane
Jenny Manson
JVL co-chairs
It is entirely appropriate that people feel uncomfortable when reminded about the persistent and wholesale criminality of the Israeli regime towards ordinary Palestinians. The fact that Zionists do so out of guilt rather than out of sympathy is no reason to let them off the hook.
The officers of Hackney Council are not independent free agents. They are employed by the Council via the majority group on the Council, which happens to be the Green group.
What is therefore stopping the leaders of the Green group simply issuing an instruction to the council officers to reinstate the photograph and if they refuse then they are disobeying a lawful instruction that should lead to the termination of their employment.
The Keffiyeh is a national symbol of the Palestinians. If there are racist Jews who take offence at it then that is tough. No doubt there are people in Hackney who object to wearing a kippa too. So what?
Totally agree with Bill Barnet.
It isn’t the site or import of the Kufiya that cause this person discomfort it is its reminder of the horrors committed by the Zionists in Israel for the last nearly eight decades.
As for those behind Lawyers for Israel they should be reminded of their appearance on the Victoria Derbyshire Show when they were there claiming that they were preparing to leave the country which was now too unsafe for them as a result of the position taken by Labour under the Leadership of Jeremy Corbyn. Victoria then asked them why they were still here when they had made the same threat under the Leadership of Ed Miliband. Ed was and still is a member of the L PFI which is certainly indicative of their non-religious nature.
As a British Palestinian, I particularly like the section of JVL’s letter that the UKLFI letter and the Council Officers’ action are racist. I have been wearing my keffiyeh almost all the time since Israel began its explicit genocide in Gaza as an expression of defiance and pride in my Palestinian identity and family. I am also sick of being told what the slogans we use, such as ‘Globalise the Intifadah’ and ‘From the River to the Sea, Palestine will be Free’, mean rather than asking us what we mean by them. Thank you JVL and Hackney Greens!