A man described in court as a “political activist” has appeared at the Old Bailey charged with encouraging terrorism over social media posts relating to the Charlie Hebdo attack.

Majid Novsarka, otherwise known as Majid Freeman, attended the London court on Friday charged with encouragement of terrorism and supporting the proscribed organisation Hamas.

His trial was going to be heard in Leicester but was changed to Birmingham Crown Court because of “strong feelings in the Leicester area”, where he is from.

Lee Ingham, prosecuting, said the case should be heard in another location because Novsarka, 36, of Cecil Road, Leicester, was “fairly well-known” in the area as a “political activist”.

It is alleged that by making posts relating to the deadly 2015 attack on the French satirical weekly Charlie Hebdo, Novsarka “intended members of the public to be directly or indirectly encouraged, or otherwise induced, by the statement to commit, prepare or instigate acts of terrorism”.

He is also charged with expressing support for Hamas, a proscribed terrorist organisation, on “various dates” between December 26 2023 and June 20.

The war in Gaza began with an assault by Hamas militants on southern Israel on October 7 that killed 1,200 people.

Novsarka stood in the dock wearing a blue suit and glasses as the court was told he made the posts on Instagram and X, formerly Twitter.

He is on conditional bail and ordered not to use or access social media to post or transmit anything with the exception of WhatsApp, the court heard.

He will next appear at the Old Bailey on November 22.