A television presenter and social media commentator have apologised and agreed to pay damages to the deputy leader of the Green Party after making false claims that he participated in civil disorder. According to BBC News, Mothin Ali, a councillor on Leeds City Council, attended the 2024 Harehills unrest specifically to assist police and appeal for calm, yet social media posts wrongly accused him of taking part in the violence.
Ali sued GB News presenter Alex Armstrong and social media commentator Bernadette Spofforth for defamation over posts on X. Both defendants have now apologised and agreed to pay what the court described as "substantial damages" to Ali.
What happened during the Harehills unrest?
Disorder erupted in Harehills on the evening of 18 July 2024 after police assisted social workers who were taking four children into emergency foster care. Hundreds of people gathered in the streets, resulting in a police car being overturned and a double-decker bus set alight. The incident became one of several episodes of civil unrest across England that summer.
What was Ali's role that night?
Rather than participating in the disorder, Ali worked to reduce harm to his community. According to ITV News, a senior police officer had requested Ali's assistance, and the agreed court statement confirmed he acted as a police-community liaison, escorted people away from danger and extinguished fires. Ali remained at the scene until approximately 3am, working to calm rioters and reassure residents while the violence unfolded around him.
Speaking outside court, Ali reflected on his efforts:
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.
How did the false allegations affect Ali?
The defamatory posts caused significant harm to Ali's reputation and personal safety. ITV News reported that Armstrong's two posts were viewed more than 3.1 million times, while Spofforth's post reached 216,000 views. The false allegations were subsequently republished by others, leading Ali to be confronted on the street and subjected to racist abuse online. His car was also damaged as a result of the controversy.
Ali described the lasting impact of the smears:
The harm is already done. The smears leave their stench, even when proven to be false.
Beyond the public harassment, Ali said he was
harassed for days and weeksand his family
lived in fear. He emphasised the broader context of his experience, telling reporters:
The context of this is how black and brown people are treated when they enter public life.
Ali also raised concerns about the impact on his credibility.
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.
What did the defendants say?
Samantha Thompson, representing both Armstrong and Spofforth, a businesswoman from the Chester area, issued a statement on their behalf. She said the pair
apologise to the claimant for the serious harm to his reputation and his distress.
How has the Green Party responded?
Green Party leader Zack Polanski praised Ali's actions on the night of the unrest. He described Ali as a
herofor his efforts and added:
He did exactly what an excellent councillor would do, working to calm down and heal division, and was praised across party lines at the time for doing so.
Ali has served as deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2025. In February 2025, he welcomed an inquiry into social media misinformation after images of him at the unrest were misused to accuse him of being a rioter or instigator.
Key Facts
- Mothin Ali attended the Harehills unrest on 18 July 2024 to assist police and appeal for calm, not to participate in disorder
- GB News presenter Alex Armstrong and social media commentator Bernadette Spofforth have apologised and agreed to pay substantial damages for defamatory posts on X
- Armstrong's posts reached over 3.1 million views and Spofforth's post reached 216,000 views, amplifying the false allegations
- Ali experienced harassment, racist abuse, street confrontations and property damage as a result of the false claims
- Ali has been deputy leader of the Green Party of England and Wales since 2025
