England did not let Mandela’s grandson in because of his support for Palestine

According to Isna, Mandela, the grandson of Nelson Mandela, the anti-apartheid leader and the first president of South Africa, could not go to England earlier this month to participate in the Palestine support rallies in Manchester, Edinburgh and Glasgow, because he was informed that despite Having a South African government passport that allows him to enter England without a visa, he must obtain a visa and the reason for this ban is his support for Hamas and Palestine.

According to the report of the Associated Press, the British Foreign Ministry wrote in a letter: “Your presence in England is not good for the public interest due to a series of unacceptable behaviors. “You published several statements in support of Hamas and Ismail Haniyeh, the late political leader of Hamas.”

In this letter, several articles published on Instagram by Mandela’s grandson are mentioned, that he supports Hamas and the Palestinians, including Haniyeh.

In the continuation of this letter from the British Foreign Ministry, it is also stated that Mandela participated in Haniyeh’s Shia ceremony in August and had previously met with him twice in January and April 2024. There is also a picture of Mandela next to Khalid Meshaal, the senior leader of Hamas.

But Mandela’s grandson said that the rejection of his visa application does not prevent him from continuing to express his support for the Palestinians.

He added: “We can never be silent and we will never allow visa denial to stand in the way of defending justice, peace and equality.” We will continue to raise our voices against the unjust occupation, genocide and ethnic cleansing of Gaza and all occupied Palestine under the support of the British and its likes.

Mandela also said the visa denial was an attempt to restrict movement and freedom of expression, likening it to the challenges faced by his grandfather, Nelson Mandela, who spent 27 years in prison for his role in the fight against apartheid. The apartheid system implemented by the white minority government was abolished in 1994 and Nelson Mandela became South Africa’s first democratically elected leader.

Pro-Palestinian organizations, including the Desmond Tutu Foundation in South Africa and the UK-based Sheffield Palestinian Coalition Against Apartheid Israel, have criticized London’s decision to deny Mandela’s grandson a visa.

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