Greens deputy leader says party giving ‘full backing’ to councillor facing Hamas video probe

The deputy leader of the Greens has stated that a councillor under Charity Commission investigation for sharing a Hamas press conference on social media has the “full backing” of the party.

Cllr Abdul Malik has been suspended as chair of Bristol’s largest mosque, Easton Jamia Masjid, while the Charity Commission conducts its investigation.

Earlier this week, he shared an Instagram post asserting he is “being targeted by the Zionist lobby,” including the Charity Commission, and describing himself as a victim of “disproportionate persecution.”

Malik, who also serves as a magistrate, received a formal warning for serious misconduct from the Judicial Conduct Investigations Office (JCIO) after sharing an 18-minute video of a Hamas press conference shortly after the October 7, 2023, attack in southern Israel.

Malik had initially denied sharing a video showing Hamas defending the 7 October massacres and calling Israel “a cancer that should be eradicated” ahead of last year’s local elections.

The then Green Party leader Carla Denyer said she was “satisfied” Malik’s case had been dealt with last year as she accepted his claims he had not shared the video, but had merely been tagged into the post.

But after an investigation into the sharing of the video by the proscribed terror group progressed, Malik was forced to admit he had shared the press conference himself.

Earlier this month, the Charity Commission confirmed: “We have an ongoing regulatory compliance case into Easton Jamia Masjid to assess concerns regarding a trustee’s personal use of social media. As part of this case, we can confirm that we have suspended Abdul Malik as a trustee.”

Malik posted on Facebook that his suspension as chair was temporary while the regulator reviews a “historic social-media matter.”

He added, “This is an administrative process, not a finding of wrongdoing, and I continue to cooperate fully with the commission to resolve it as quickly as possible.”

Greens deputy leader Mothin’ Ali has posted a video online confirming the party’s “full backing” for Malik, stating: “Any punitive measures that authorities take against him are discriminatory and they’re targeting him for his activism.”

Malik, in turn, thanked the Greens for “standing with me throughout.”

Jewish News understands that Malik’s sharing of a post linking the Charity Commission with the “Zionist lobby” has also been brought to the attention of the government watchdog.

The post, apparently written by a group called Global Movement To Gaza, claims Malik is “being targeted by the Zionist lobby for his solidarity” and refers to pressure from a “prominent Zionist newspaper.”

Ali, the Greens’ deputy leader, previously attracted attention for shouting “Allahu Akbar” upon his election in Leeds and for a social media post after October 7 claiming Israelis are “not victims.”

On the day of the Hamas attack, Ali stated on social media that Palestinians had the right to “fight back,” but later apologised for his remarks.