Sheema Kermani expelled from British High Commission event for chanting ‘Ceasefire Now’

Classical dancer and activist Sheema Kermani was “ejected” from an event held at the British High Commission in Karachi for raising a slogan in favour of the people of Gaza.

Ms Kermani, founder of Tehreek-i-Niswan, was invited for an event in the High Commission to celebrate the birthday of King Charles III on Friday with many other artists also present. “They were all congratulating the British Government and the royal family without any mention of the atrocities taking place in Gaza. I just had to do what I did. I couldn’t stay silent. Sadly, when the other guests saw me being thrown out and my leaving, none of them, not even one of them, decided to also take a stand and join me,” she told Dawn.

Sheema raised the slogan of “Ceasefire Now” as the speakers were making speeches and sending congratulatory messages to Britain. Security personnel instantly took charge and tried to force her out of the event. “That’s when I asked them to not touch me as I would see myself out,” Ms Kermani stated after the regrettable incident.

A spokesperson for the British Deputy High Commission responded to the incident by saying that Ms Kermani was shouting during “an important speech about climate change in Pakistan by the British Deputy High Commissioner”. It was then that the “security personnel came forth to stop her from shouting. But then she left on her own. So it won’t be correct to say that we threw her out.”