Mothin Ali Explained
Mothin Ali is a British Green Party politician and a member of Leeds City Council.
Politics
Ali was elected to Leeds City Council for the Gipton and Harehills ward at the 2024 election. He was criticised after describing his local election victory a "win for the people of Gaza" amidst the Israel–Hamas war.[1] [2]
On 7 October during the 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, Ali said that people should "support the right of indigenous people to fight back" and said that "they are not victims, they are occupiers, they are colonialists, they are European colonialists". Ali was condemned by the Board of Deputies of British Jews and subsequently apologised for "any upset my comments caused" and said that he does not support violence on either side.[3]
Harehills unrest
During the 2024 Harehills unrest, Ali formed a human shield to stop violence escalating and appealed for calm.[4] Ali was erroneously accused of taking part in the unrest by some far-right political commentators. The Muslim Council of Britain commended Ali for his "bravery and service" during the unrest.[5]
Horticulture
Ali has a YouTube channel "My Family Garden", which in 2022 had 35,000 subscribers, where he documents his gardening.[6] Ali started the DigItOut campaign which aims to end racism in horticulture and gardening.[7] [8] [9] This was a response to his own experiences of racism in the gardening world, including abuse he received on his YouTube channel, which worsened after the publication in 2021 of the findings of the Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities.[10]
Personal life
Ali moved to Gipton and Harehills in 2000.[11] He is an accountant by day and Islamic teacher in the evenings. He has Bangladeshi heritage.
External links
Notes and References
- News: Russell . Rachel . 7 May 2024 . Leeds: Green Party councillor Mothin Ali apologises for Gaza comments . . 20 July 2024 . 25 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240725222837/https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-leeds-68970097 . live .
- News: Penna . Dominic . 2024-05-06 . Green Party investigates councillor who shouted 'Allahu Akbar' after election . 2024-07-24 . The Telegraph . en-GB . 0307-1235.
- News: Pope . Felix . 7 May 2024 . Newly elected Green councillor apologises for October 7 anti-Israel tweets . . 20 July 2024 . 20 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720131901/https://www.thejc.com/news/newly-elected-green-councillor-apologises-for-october-7-anti-israel-tweets-a5qx65mk . live .
- News: Davis . Barney . 19 July 2024 . The hero councillor who formed a human shield to stop violence escalating in Leeds riots . . 20 July 2024 . 20 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720010908/https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/leeds-riots-harehills-violent-disorder-police-b2582539.html . live .
- News: Mulla . Imran . 19 July 2024 . UK: Far right blames Muslims and 'third world' migrants for Leeds unrest . . 20 July 2024 . 25 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240725222838/https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/uk-how-myth-muslims-were-behind-leeds-disorder-went-viral . live .
- News: Healey . Shawna . 11 January 2022 . Popular Leeds gardener speaks on raising his kids outdoors and racism in the horticulture community . Asian Standard . 20 July 2024 . 27 June 2022 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220627145604/https://www.asianstandard.co.uk/popular-leeds-gardener-speaks-on-raising-his-kids-outdoors-and-racism-in-the-horticulture-community/ . live .
- Web site: #Dig It Out – Championing Equality & Diversity . 20 July 2024 . 12 April 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240412135852/https://digitoutcampaign.com/ . live .
- News: Begum . Thaslima . 2022-11-25 . Generation game: how British Bangladeshi gardeners have gone back to their roots . 2024-07-24 . The Guardian . en-GB . 0261-3077.
- Web site: 2022-07-13 . BBC Sounds - Blossom Trees and Burnt Out Cars, 1. Locked out of Nature . 2024-07-24 . BBC . en-GB . 2022-07-14 . https://web.archive.org/web/20220714161827/https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p0cl4tsz . live .
- News: Ryan . Emma . 2 April 2021 . "Racism is alive and well" - black communities in Leeds slam government report into race disparity . . Yorkshire Post Newspapers.
- News: Gent . Craig . 28 May 2024 . Are Green Shoots Starting to Crack the Red Wall? . . 20 July 2024 . 20 July 2024 . https://web.archive.org/web/20240720110651/https://novaramedia.com/2024/05/28/are-green-shoots-starting-to-crack-the-red-wall/ . live .
