A student union women’s officer will go on trial next summer for allegedly expressing support for Hamas a day after its militants entered Israel.

Today, Hanin Barghouthi formally entered a not guilty plea to a charge of expressing support for the proscribed terrorist group on October 8.

The charge alleges that the 22-year-old “expressed an opinion or belief” supportive of Hamas in a speech at Brighton city centre.

It is alleged that she committed the offence when she addressed a crowd at the Clock Tower in Brighton during a rally organised by the Palestine Solidarity Campaign.

It is claimed that at the time she was “reckless as to whether a person to which the expression was directed would be encouraged to support such an organisation”.

The defendant, from Hove, appeared at the Old Bailey before Mr Justice Jeremy Baker.

The judge set a further plea and directions hearing for April 5.

A provisional three-day trial will take place at Kingston Crown Court from June 10 next year.

Barghouthi, who was dressed all in black, was granted continued conditional bail.