Green deputy leader shares experience of racist abuse during coastal holiday

The newly elected deputy leader of the Green party and his family were targeted during a trip to the coast last week, facing verbal abuse and objects being thrown, he told CuriosityNews.

Mothin Ali, a Leeds councillor, described the incident as an example of far-right rhetoric being used to blame marginalized groups for societal issues.

Ali, who was born in Sheffield and has spent his entire life in Yorkshire, was at the beach in Cromer, Norfolk, with his mother, wife, and children when the confrontation occurred.

“It was a pleasant day. I was playing in the sand and exploring tide pools with my six-year-old. Without warning, a group started throwing bottles and shouting insults, including racist slurs. One individual behaved in an aggressive and offensive manner,” he said.

Ali linked the attack to the rise in divisive language from certain political groups in recent months.

“Some movements propose overly simplistic answers to deeply complicated issues—scapegoating immigrants, people of color, and religious minorities,” he said.

“The rhetoric is deliberately provocative, meant to fuel hostility.”

He acknowledged that such groups posed a challenge to social harmony but emphasized that the Green party, with its new leadership, was well-placed to present a different vision.

This week, the party confirmed that members had chosen Zack Polanski as leader, with Ali and Rachel Millward, co-leader of a council in Sussex, as deputy leaders.

Ali noted that the leadership now represented diverse backgrounds: a Jewish man, a Muslim from a northern working-class family, and a feminist woman.

“Together, we connect across divides—region, class, race, faith, and more. It reflects the reality that Britain is made up of many different people. We’ve created a small-scale version of that diversity.”

He added that while the Green party was composed of principled individuals, it sometimes struggled to assert itself.

“Kindness is important, but when you’re too passive, people dismiss you. We need to be clearer in expressing our stance and policies. With this leadership team, we bring different voices but a shared purpose—a broad, unified approach.”

The core of their message, Ali said, was hope.

“I serve one of the most disadvantaged areas in Leeds. Earlier today, a mother called me about the unlivable conditions of her home despite paying full rent. Others can’t afford food for their children. Even those with stable jobs are feeling the strain.”

“Yet we’re in one of the world’s wealthiest nations. No one should go hungry. These are policy failures that can be changed.”