Israel-Gaza: London school warns it may close over Palestine patch row

A primary school has warned parents it may have to close its doors because of a worsening row over a pupil wearing a Palestine flag patch to school.

Barclay Primary School, in Leyton, east London, said it may have to revert to online learning because of threats made against the school and its staff.

Growing anger at the school in December forced it to close early for Christmas.

The pupil, whose mother is from Gaza, had been off school for weeks after refusing to remove the patch.

Speaking to the BBC last month, the boy's father, Shahid, said his eight-year-old son had been traumatised by the incident.

He said he was "sad, upset and angry" and has been questioning if he had "done something wrong".

His mother, Rasha, has lost many family members, he said.

The school had asked parents to stop sending pupils to school wearing any signs of political allegiance.

Protesters gathered at the site before Christmas as anger grew over letters the school sent to parents which mentioned potential referrals to Prevent, a key part of the UK's counter-terrorism strategy, for any "extremist and divisive comments".

Staff at the school were also accused of "bullying" the young boy at the centre of the row, claims which they have denied.

In a subsequent statement published on its website, the school strongly refuted any allegations of bullying or misconduct by staff and said the wording of its earlier letters had been "misappropriated".

In a more recent letter, sent to parents on 10 January, Lion Academy Trust - which runs the school - said it had received a "serious" written threat, as well as an anonymous caller making "a series of racial slurs" and an arson threat against the school and its staff.

The threats had been referred to the police, they said.

Staff had also been forced into "aggressive and confrontational interactions" with members of the public and had been "overtly filmed" doing their jobs, the letter said, causing "unwanted distress and anxiety".

The school said it has now secured private on-site security, as well as an increased presence by Metropolitan Police officers in the local area.

Its main reception service would be closed for the "foreseeable future", it added, as well as restricting access to the school at pick-up and drop-off times.

But it said it may still be forced to shut the school "with limited notice" if the situation does not return to normal.

"This is the option of last resort - but please be aware that should staff continue to be threatened, then we will have no option but to close the school," the letter added.

In a statement published on the school's website on Friday, 19 January, a spokesperson said the school was working with its partners "to navigate a route back to business as usual".

"We simply ask that our focus on continuing to be an outstanding community primary school is respected and allowed to continue unimpeded," the statement added.

Leyton and Wanstead MP John Cryer said threats and protests outside any school were "beyond the pale - however upset people are".

The Metropolitan Police has been contacted for comment.