The UK Home Office revoked the Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) of Andreas Malm, a Swedish climate activist and academic at Lund University, preventing his planned travel to the United Kingdom. The cancellation occurred on Wednesday, approximately one week before Malm was scheduled to participate in a panel discussion organized by Tribune magazine in London.
Malm stated that he believes his ETA was cancelled specifically because of his planned participation in the event. The panel was to feature speakers including Huda Ammori, a cofounder of Palestine Action, which the UK government has designated as a “terrorist” organization. Malm indicated he had received no prior warning from the Home Office about potential issues with his travel status before the cancellation email arrived.
The Home Office informed Malm that he would need to apply for a standard visitor visa to enter the country, though processing times typically require three weeks—making it effectively impossible for him to obtain approval in time for next week’s event. Malm noted that he had been visiting the UK regularly for decades and that his views on Palestine have remained consistent and publicly known. He has requested clarification from the Home Office regarding the decision but has not yet received a response.
The cancellation reflects ongoing measures taken by the UK government against pro-Palestine activists and supporters. Palestine Action was designated as a terrorist organization under the previous administration, and the designation has prompted widespread criticism from human rights groups including Amnesty International. Over 3,850 people have been arrested for publicly supporting the group since its proscription. The cancellation of Malm’s ETA has drawn statements from prominent figures including Irish novelist Sally Rooney, who criticized the decision as an attack on free speech and academic freedom.
Malm characterized the action as guilt by association, questioning where such restrictions would ultimately lead. Academics and commentators have characterized the move as part of a broader pattern of government suppression of free expression and dissent.
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