Standing strong against Far-Right disinformation
The Guardian Mon 22 Jul 2024 | Opinion Leeds
In the wake of the Harehills unrest, The Guardian issued a powerful editorial exposing how far-right actors exploited the situation with disinformation — targeting community leaders like Mothin Ali. While Ali worked to calm tensions on the ground, online conspiracies painted him as a rioter, weaponising lies to stir division.
The editorial defends Ali’s actions and warns of the broader threat: that bad-faith narratives can quickly overshadow truth in moments of crisis. When councillors doing the hard work of peacebuilding are smeared by extremists, democracy itself is weakened.
As The Guardian puts it, this is not just about one event or one person — it's about how fragile truth becomes when manipulated by those who thrive on fear.
“Community leadership should be protected — not punished — in the face of online hate.”
Read the full editorial on The Guardian:
The Guardian view on unrest in Leeds: fodder for far-right disinformation
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