London police summon Egyptian-British actor Khalid Abdalla over pro-Palestine protest - Screens - Arts & Culture
The Metropolitan Police summoned Egyptian-British actor Khalid Abdalla, best known for his role as Dodi Fayed in The Crown, for a formal interview on his participation in a pro-Palestine protest in London earlier this year.
"On Thursday, alongside others, including Stephen Kapos, an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, I received a letter from the Metropolitan Police, summoning me to attend 'a formal interview' in relation to the Palestinian Solidarity Campaign protest on Jan 18th. It remains to be seen if this results in charges," Abdalla wrote on his Instagram account on Monday.
Abdalla, 44, a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights and a prominent advocate for a ceasefire in Gaza, also expressed concern over the ongoing suppression of the right to protest in the UK, citing his situation as part of a broader crackdown on dissent.
"The days of silencing after intimidation are gone. The stakes are too high, and as we can see today with No Other Land winning at the Oscars, momentum is on the side of justice and shared humanity," he adds, referencing Israeli-Palestinian film No Other Land's recent win of Best Documentary award. The film narrates the story of Palestinian activists fighting to protect their communities from demolition by the Israeli military.
The actor's summons is part of an investigation into alleged breaches of public order during the protest, which led to several individuals, including former Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn, being questioned by authorities.
According to media reports, the protest, originally confined to Whitehall, allegedly saw demonstrators march toward Trafalgar Square, which may have violated the event's agreed-upon conditions.
During another protest held in December, the National March for Palestine in London, Abdalla delivered a powerful speech urging protesters to "work for a future of justice and peace by living it in the present," condemning Israel's actions in Palestine, and calling Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu "the greatest war criminal on Earth."
Abdalla, who has starred in several notable films such as the 2006 Academy Award-nominated and BAFTA-winning film, United 93, and 2007 Oscar, Golden Globe, and BAFTA-nominated American drama The Kite Runner, remains uncertain whether the police investigation will lead to charges and refrains from further comments "for legal reasons."
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