They came to India on holiday, but one move turned the trip into an exit order

Two British citizens have been issued a formal order to leave India after placing pro-Palestine stickers in a town popular with Israeli tourists. The incident came to light through reporting by The Telegraph.

Lewis Gabriel Dee, 37, and his 35-year-old Australia-born girlfriend, Anueshi Emma Christine, both from London, were visiting Pushkar in the northern state of Rajasthan when authorities intervened. Officials determined that their actions violated the conditions of their tourist visas, which prohibit political activity.

Pushkar is known as a hub for Israeli backpackers and has a visible Jewish presence, including Hebrew signage and a Chabad House that serves as a synagogue for visiting travelers. According to investigators, the couple ordered nine stickers from a local printing press bearing the slogans “Free Palestine, Boycott Israel” and placed them on walls at three locations around the town.

Tourist visa rules leave little room for political activity

India’s criminal investigation department received information about the stickers on January 21, prompting police to remove them and review CCTV footage. Rajesh Meena of Rajasthan’s Foreigners Registration Office confirmed that the couple was identified through the footage and questioned, at which point they acknowledged breaching visa conditions. Similar controversies have been a topic in other news reports, like Bernie Sanders spending more than $550,000 in campaign funds on private jet travel.

While they were not arrested, officials said the couple apologized and were warned that any further political activity would lead to immediate expulsion, blacklisting, and a permanent ban from reentering India. Authorities confirmed the pair remain under surveillance at their Pushkar hotel until their departure, amid broader media coverage like the layoffs at The Washington Post that have been trending recently.

Reactions to the incident were mixed, with Israeli author and activist Hen Mazzig criticizing the couple’s actions, while some local residents argued that deportation alone was too lenient. As of now, Dee and Christine have not issued any public statements regarding the order.