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Mothin Ali Wins Defamation Settlement Over False Riot Claims

By Drooid · Oct 18, 2026, 9:57 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

Mothin Ali won a defamation settlement against Alex Armstrong and Bernadette Spofforth.
The settlement required Armstrong and Spofforth to apologize and pay substantial damages and legal costs.
They had falsely claimed Ali participated in the July 2024 Harehills riots in Leeds.
Armstrong’s X posts amassed over 3.1 million views, while Spofforth’s post received 216,000 views.
Ali reported death threats, racist abuse, and car damage after the false allegations.

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Story summary

Mothin Ali won a defamation settlement against Alex Armstrong and Bernadette Spofforth.
The settlement required Armstrong and Spofforth to apologize and pay substantial damages and legal costs.
They had falsely claimed Ali participated in the July 2024 Harehills riots in Leeds.
Armstrong’s X posts amassed over 3.1 million views, while Spofforth’s post received 216,000 views.
Ali reported death threats, racist abuse, and car damage after the false allegations.