Protest outside Azerbaijan’s embassy in London against hijab ban in schools

Dozens of people gathered outside the Embassy of Azerbaijan in Holland Park, west London, on Friday evening, 16 October 2026, to protest against the Azerbaijani government’s ban on the hijab in educational institutions. They stood in solidarity with Muslim women and girls who wear the hijab, and with their right to practise their faith and continue their education without pressure or discrimination.

The protest was organised by the Association of Students Activism for Palestine (ASAP) and its partners. Protesters rejected a decision they say targets the freedom of female students to choose what they wear and to express their religious identity. They said wearing the hijab is a right, and should never be a reason to deny a woman her education or push her out of school or university.

Several activists spoke at the protest, including the well-known Islamic preacher Fadel Soliman. He strongly condemned the ban, saying it goes against the teachings of Islam, and that any Muslim who supports such a decision is acting against his own faith.

ASAP President Nusaiba Mohamed and student Osama Ghanem also spoke, along with a number of other students. They rejected the ban and called for respect for freedom of belief and the right to education. They urged the authorities not to impose restrictions that stop female students from living according to their religious convictions.

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The protest brought together activists from different faiths and backgrounds. They came to defend a woman’s right to choose what she wears, whether she chooses to wear the hijab or not, free from coercion and state interference in her personal choices.

Speakers said that a woman’s freedom does not mean forcing her to wear the hijab, and it does not mean banning her from wearing it. It means respecting her will and her right to decide for herself. They said banning the hijab in schools and universities violates students’ religious and personal freedom, and forces them into an unfair choice between their beliefs and their education.

Solidarity with hijab-wearing women was at the heart of the protest. The message was clear: a woman’s right to education should never conflict with her right to practise her faith, and the hijab must never be used as an excuse for discrimination or exclusion.

Protesters said they will return to the embassy every Friday until further notice, until the ban on the hijab in educational institutions is reversed.

READ: London Protest to Oppose Hijab Restrictions in Azerbaijani Schools This Friday