Swedish climate scholar Andreas Malm has been barred from entering the UK ahead of a planned appearance at a London conference, with immigration officials saying his presence "may not be considered to be conducive to the public good," The Guardian reported on Friday.
Malm was scheduled to speak alongside Huda Ammori, co-founder of Palestine Action, a pro-Palestine group banned under UK law, at a conference organised by Tribune magazine next week.
The event was set to discuss the impact of Palestine Action's proscription and coincide with a Supreme Court challenge to the group's designation.
Malm, an associate professor of human ecology at Lund University in Sweden, was notified of the decision before travelling to the UK.
He described the decision to deny him entry as "scandalous" and urged the government to reverse it, saying he had travelled to the country for decades for academic research, lectures and conferences.
In comments reported by The Guardian, Malm said Britain had been a central part of his academic life. He conducted archival research in the country for his PhD dissertation, lectured at dozens of universities and participated in numerous conferences. His previous engagements included institutions such as Oxford, Cambridge and King's College London.
"I have always considered the UK a centre of the world of ideas, where differences in opinions and scientific approaches can be aired freely," Malm said, describing his longstanding relationship with the country.
He also expressed dismay at the decision, saying he had expected greater respect for freedom of expression and other democratic rights. He appealed to the government to reverse the ban.
Malm was also scheduled to appear on BBC Radio 4's ‘Radical with Gabriel Gatehouse’ during his visit. His planned appearance would have provided an opportunity for public discussion of the issues surrounding Palestine Action's proscription.
Tribune editor Oliver Eagleton said Malm had been due to speak about attacks on freedom of speech, including the implications of Palestine Action's proscription, but had now himself been prevented from entering the country.
“He is being censored for speaking out about censorship, in truly Orwellian fashion,” Eagleton said in comments to the Guardian.
Author Sally Rooney criticised the decision as "a sad and frightening act of cultural self-harm", describing Malm as one of Europe's influential intellectuals.
Malm has won international awards for his books, and his writings have inspired many to take action for Palestinian rights and environmental justice, according to the Guardian.
The Home Office declined to comment on individual cases, according to the report.
