A diversity coordinator whose responsibilities included safeguarding pupils has been dismissed after describing Hamas terrorists as “heroes fighting for justice” the day they murdered over 1,200 Israelis in the October 7 massacre.
Saima Akhtar served dual roles at Cabot Learning Federation—the trust operating Bristol Brunel Academy—as diversity coordinator and academy council member scrutinising academic standards, student welfare and staff wellbeing before her social media declarations sparked an investigation by The Times.
Her dismissal arrives months after the Bristol institution controversially postponed a constituency visit from Jewish Labour MP Damien Egan last September following threats from pro-Palestine protesters and union members citing “safeguarding concerns” over his Labour Friends of Israel vice-chairmanship.
Ms Akhtar’s online activity revealed stark contradictions with her professional persona, posting a Nelson Mandela quote on October 7 stating “our freedom is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians” before declaring Palestine was engaged in fighting “against an apartheid” with Israel cast as “oppressors.”
“This is an oppressed people standing up and fighting back. Just imagine if this was Ukraine attacking Russia? Heroes fighting for justice and their right to exist. Palestinians are no different. #FreePalestine,” she wrote hours after the terror attack commenced.
The now-former diversity chief urged audiences ignoring “media attempts to paint Israel as a victim” whilst subsequently accusing Western mainstream media of being “the real problem” nine days later.
“They’re liable for ethnic cleansing and genocide because of their unprecedented support of Israel,” her post declared.
Ms Akhtar’s frequent Bristol pro-Palestine march attendance featured captions reading “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free”—a chant regularly deployed by pro-Hamas activists at demonstrations nationwide.
Her LinkedIn profile projected radically different values, emphasising an “intersectional, trauma-informed, and unapologetically anti-racist” professional approach alongside commitments to “challenge practices and create inclusive, affirming environments where every individual—regardless of race, faith, gender identity, or background—can thrive.”
The platform stressed her dedication “to trans rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and global solidarity, including support for Palestinian human rights”—language markedly divergent from her Hamas glorification posts.
Cabot Learning Federation declined discussing individual staff cases but emphasised clear conduct expectations: “The promotion of inclusion and rejection of discrimination are enshrined in the CLF’s core values, and all of our staff are expected to embody these values in their behaviour—both inside and outside of school.”
The sacking concludes a controversy demonstrating how the October 7 aftermath exposed ideological fault lines within British educational institutions, with Ms Akhtar’s case highlighting tensions between professed diversity commitments and actual beliefs regarding terrorism and antisemitism.
Her dismissal raises questions about vetting processes for positions explicitly tasked promoting inclusion whilst holding responsibilities for vulnerable students’ welfare and safety.
