Zack Polanski has slammed critics of the Green Party’s deputy leader who attended a pro-Iran rally as Islamophobic.
Mothin Ali, the Leeds councillor, had been spotted at a London rally backing the Iranian regime amid joint US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
But Mr Polanski has now said Mr Ali was “standing up for peace” as he stood alongside crowds holding the flag of the Islamic Republic.
Tory MP Sir Alec Shelbrooke then told the Commons he was “appalled but not shocked” to see the party’s deputy leader “again protesting in support of the Ayatollah” – which Mr Ali said was a “defamatory lie”.
Sir Alec then called on the Prime Minister to ensure Leeds’s Jewish communities’ safety.
The PM then admitted: “I think we’re all shocked by the actions of the deputy leader of the Green Party.”
He added he was “not surprised given their recent turn of direction” – again labelled a “defamatory lie” by Mr Ali.
Mr Polanski then claimed the Prime Minister was displaying “blatant Islamophobia” in his comments.
The Green Party Leader said: “The blatant Islamophobia that Sir Keir Starmer is demonstrating through smearing Mothin Ali would be shocking – but it’s becoming a pattern.
Green Party Deputy Leader Mothin Ali (left) attended a pro-Iranian regime protest on Saturday
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GETTY“Smearing a caring man of principle for standing up for peace.”
Green MP Ellie Chowns defended her colleague and said he attended an “anti-war protest” in “support of his principles of being anti-war and pro-democracy and diplomacy”.
Mr Ali told LBC News said his participation at the rally was a protest against military intervention in the Middle East.
He said the comment against him, including those by the Prime Minister, were “pure racism”.
‘I think we’re all shocked by the actions of the deputy leader of the Green Party,’ the Prime Minister said of his presence at the rally | GETTY
The councillor went on to claim he told protesters in London not to include any children in photos with him, saying that the media would “attack you and they’ll attack your children” just for being near him.
Mr Ali told LBC: “For a lot of these Twitter trolls, I’m a very easy figure to attack and be racist to.
“And it is pure racism. And the problem is whether it’s the mainstream media or whether it’s some of these social media outlets, they’re not calling it out.
“Frame the argument, have the argument, have the discussion in a direct way, in a robust way. Leave the racism.”
Former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat warned the Greens were aligning themselves with “those who murder young Iranians seeking a better life and freedom”.
A speaker at the London protest said Iran had been on the right side of history when it came to its views on Palestine as chants of “Zionism is a crime/Get your hands off Palestine” were heard.
Praising the Iranian regime, the speaker said: “When it comes to Palestine, the Islamic Republic of Iran has chosen to be be on the right side of history for the past 47 years.”
Protesters held placards calling for the end of the war, featuring slogans such as “Stop Trump’s War” and “No War on Iran”.
Some protesters held signs emblazoned with the image of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and others flew the Iranian flag.
Separately, pro-democracy protesters gathered in Whitehall to call for the end of the current Iranian regime, supporting the US and Israeli strikes.
One pro-democracy protester told GB News: “It’s more important than ever Iranian British citizens to show their solidarity and support for Iranians who are fighting for freedom and democracy.”