Pro-Gaza Green Party councillor who shouted ‘Allahu Akbar’ investigated over comments

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The Green Party has confirmed it is investigating one of their new councillors after they were filmed shouting “Allahu Akbar!” and pledging that his win was “a win for the people of Gaza”.

The Green Party’s election victories have now turned sour, after the Government’s independent antisemitism advisor was forced to intervene over concerns about some of the party’s new councillors.

While the party found itself a major beneficiary of discontent towards Labour’s Israel stance, particularly in Muslim areas, it has now emerged that one of their new Leeds councillors was involved in the harassment of a Jewish university chaplain driven from his home.

In February, Mr Ali created a video branding the Jewish Rabbi a “creep”, “a kind of animal”, an “absolute low-life”, “absolutely disgusting” and “shameful”, as well as falsely claiming he had attempted to “kill women and children” in Gaza.

On the day of the horrific Hamas massacre of October 7, Mr Ali also tweeted that “white supremacist European settler colonialism must end!”

Mr Ali said his victory this weekend was 'for Gaza' (Image: Mothin Ali X)

This morning a party spokesman finally broke silence and confirmed they are investigating their new elected representative.

They said: “The Green Party is investigating issues drawn to our attention in relation to Councillor Mothin Ali, so cannot comment further. However, we are clear that we never support anything that extols violence”.

The Green Party’s co-leader Carla Denyer has described her new councillor’s comments as “very concerning”.

Last night the Government’s independent advisor on antisemitism, Lord John Mann, intervened and said he is set to meet the Greens this week “to discuss what they are going to do in reaction to these people and also more widely in their membership and their candidate selections”.

He has suggested that the Greens may have to boot Mr Ali out of the party as Labour did when comments by their Rochdale by-election candidate Azhar Ali were unearthed.

Lord Mann warned the party may have to boot Cllr Ali out (Image: Getty)

The Green Party row comes after independent groups standing on an openly pro-Gaza platform won large support in the local elections, dealing a blow to Labour’s expected gains.

In Bristol, a councillor was elected who has shared posts with references to the “Zionist enemy police”, “Palestinian resistance” and the Hamas terror attack on Israel being an “American Zionist lie”.

Another Green councillor, Imtiaz Ali, had previously described Zionists as “common thieves. Willing to massacre thousands”. He was deselected by Labour after accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing and apartheid.

Mohamed Makawi, the new Bristol politician, has now apologised and the Greens have said they will give him social media training.

However the Bristol Labour Group slammed their opponents, accusing them of “creating a heaven for some unconscionable behaviour”.

In Leeds, the Conservatives have written to the Green Party’s whip to demand answers about Mr Ali’s election.

Tory councillor Dan Cohen noted that the Green Party’s whip Ed Carlisle “has continued to celebrate the campaigning of Mr Ali even after he acknowledged our very serious concerns”.

Mr Cohen added: “There should be no place in public office for antisemitism”.