Overview

• In March 2025, Barts Health NHS Trust updated its dress code to bar political or national symbols on uniforms, workstations, laptops and virtual backgrounds.
• Ahmad Baker, a British-Palestinian nurse at Whipps Cross Hospital, was instructed to remove a watermelon image from his video-call background amid claims it could be antisemitic.
• Baker, joined by Dr Aarash Saleh and Dr Sara Ali, has filed an employment tribunal claim alleging indirect discrimination under the Equality Act 2010.
• The legal team contends that pro-Israel group UK Lawyers for Israel influenced the policy’s development and publicised it before staff were notified.
• Through CrowdJustice, the trio has raised over £16,000 towards their £50,000 target as they seek removal of the disputed rules, an official discrimination ruling and compensation.