Hackney Council has removed an official photograph of a newly-elected councillor wearing a keffiyeh from its website following pressure from pro-Israel lobbyists, a move that has drawn criticism from the borough's mayor.
Background of the Controversy
The photo of London Fields Green councillor Brenda Puech, which showed her wearing a traditional black and white Middle Eastern scarf often used as a symbol for the Palestinian cause, prompted a backlash from the group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI).
On June 3, the advocacy group wrote to the council claiming that Jewish and Israeli residents associated the “politically-charged symbol” with “hostility towards Israel and, in some cases, with terrorist organisations and anti-Semitism.” UKLFI said the image could create an “intimidating, hostile or offensive environment for Jewish residents” and had already caused distress to “at least one” Jewish person living in Hackney.
Council's Decision and Mayor's Response
The group celebrated the next day after the council removed the picture. However, the borough's new Green Mayor, Zoë Garbett, has sought to distance herself from the officers’ decision. Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) on Thursday, June 11, she said: “I want to be very clear that neither Cllr Puech or myself, nor anyone else in the Green councillor group, were part of the decision to remove the picture.”
“I appreciate that many people are alarmed by this. It was a decision taken by officers, and one that has led me to raise my concerns,” she added.
Cllr Puech's Reaction
Meanwhile, Cllr Puech criticised UKLFI for sharing the picture of her it deemed offensive on its own website. She declined to add further comment at the present time. The LDRS understands the issue is still ongoing.
UKLFI's Stance and Actions
In its own words, UKLFI is a voluntary association of British lawyers established in 2011 to “combat the delegitimisation of Israel” and support Israelis and pro-Israel organizations using their legal skills. In 2024, the group reportedly threatened Tower Hamlets Council with legal action over the display of Palestinian flags in council-owned buildings, which were later removed.
UKLFI said its formal letter to Hackney Council argued that the photo could “potentially engage provisions of the Equality Act” and had also referred to the council’s Code of Conduct and the Public Sector Equality Duty. The group also asked the local authority to ensure that the scarf was not worn while the member conducted any council business.
Council's Code of Conduct
Hackney Council’s Code of Conduct states that members must not do anything which may “cause the authority to breach any of the equality enactments as defined in the Equality Act 2010.” The code does not refer to dress, political expression or symbolic speech. Some Hackney councillors have in the past worn keffiyehs in the Town Hall chamber.
The LDRS asked UKLFI to provide its full letter and to explain how the keffiyeh could infringe the Equality Act, Hackney’s Code of Conduct and the Public Sector Equality Duty, but the organisation did not respond after several days. The council also declined to comment.
Labour Opposition's View
The Labour opposition group appeared to support the decision. A spokesperson for Hackney Labour told the LDRS that the council’s website should remain “impartial in matters of religion and belief.”
“Care should be taken to avoid any appearance of community pressure, coercion, or preferential treatment that could lead residents to feel that one faith is being elevated above others. An inclusive and neutral approach helps ensure that all members of the community feel equally represented and respected,” the spokesperson said.
