The Crown Prosecution Service will proceed with charges against two men accused of inciting racial hatred during May 2021’s infamous “Convoy For Palestine”.
Mohammed Iftikhar Hanif, 28, from Pringle Street in Blackburn, and Jawaad Hussain, 25, from Revidge Road in Blackburn, will face charges of “using threatening, abusive or insulting words, or behaviour, with intent, likely to stir up racial hatred”.
Charges against two further men, Asif Ali, 25 and Adil Mota, 26, also from Blackburn, have been dropped.
The convoy saw antisemitic abuse and rape threats allegedly directed at Jewish women shouted from vehicles travelling through St John’s Wood.
Six cars, emblazoned with Palestinian flags on their bonnets and back windows, were filmed stopping at traffic lights before driving on in the direction of Golders Green and the North Circular.
They were later filmed near Brent Cross.
All four men had pleaded not guilty when they were charged last year. Neither Mr Mota nor Mr Ali was required to attend the court for the hearing on Friday. Their lawyers took part by video link. Mr Mota’s solicitor Ghafar Khan told the JC: “We are glad that the case against our client has been dismissed.“We had advanced the innocence of Mr Mota from the outset, he has stressed he is not antisemitic and has nothing against Jewish people.”
Mr Khan said his client was part of the convoy that travelled to North London but didn’t take part in the threatening or abusive behaviour. The lawyer said: “There was a car protest in which he took part to protest the difficulties faced in Palestine for the Palestinian people.”
He added that his client had experienced “what has been a really difficult and stressful time for the past 14 months”.
