Mothin Ali Wins Damages Over False Harehills Riot Claims

Two people who falsely accused Leeds councillor Mothin Ali of involvement in the 2024 Harehills disorder have apologised and agreed to pay him substantial damages.

GB News presenter Alex Armstrong and social media commentator Bernadette Spofforth made the allegations in posts on X following the unrest in East Leeds.

However, the High Court heard that Ali, who is now deputy leader of the Green Party, had attended the scene to help police and calm tensions.

The councillor took legal action against both individuals for defamation after they wrongly suggested he had participated in the disorder.

The unrest broke out in Harehills on 18 July 2024, after police assisted social workers who were taking four children into emergency foster care.

Hundreds gathered in the streets as tensions erupted, leaving a police car overturned and a double-decker bus set alight.

Ali said he had remained at the scene to protect police officers, reassure frightened residents and prevent the situation from getting worse.

Speaking outside court, he said: “I tried my absolute best to calm tensions, to protect police officers. I stayed on the scene to calm rioters and to reassure residents while buses burned. I stayed there to limit the damage, to limit the harm to my community.”

He added: “For my service to my community, I was not only accused of rioting, but something I take even more seriously – my honesty was brought into question.”

The councillor described how the allegations had affected both his personal life and his family.

He said he was “harassed for days and weeks”, while his family “lived in fear.”

His car was also damaged. Reflecting on the wider implications, Ali said: “The context of this is how black and brown people are treated when they enter public life.”

Samantha Thompson, representing Armstrong and Spofforth, told the court that both individuals “apologise to the claimant for the serious harm to his reputation and his distress.”

The pair have also agreed to pay substantial damages, although the amount has not been disclosed in the information provided.

Green Party leader Zack Polanski defended Ali’s actions during the unrest, describing him as a “hero.”

He said Ali had worked to calm tensions and bring people together during a difficult night for Harehills.

Polanski added that the councillor had received praise from across the political spectrum for his response to the disorder.

Despite the apologies and damages, Ali said the impact of the allegations could not simply be undone.

“The harm is already done. The smears leave their stench, even when proven to be false,” he said.