Ibrahim Mir, 21, avoids jail for violent disorder during summer riots triggered by misinformation after Southport stabbings.
Mir wore a balaclava at the riot. CCTV caught him holding a brick, but he tossed it away from people, landing away from police and the public. He ran off with some other men in Hanley, near his mosque.
Mir was part of the riot’s ‘opposing group’ on August 6, 2024. He turned himself into police on September 28 and admitted to violent disorder in court, stating he threw the brick into the road, which hit a metal railing.
Before August 3, Mir obeyed the law and studied at university while working part-time. His family supports him a lot, and his brother has a serious illness. Mir took blood tests for his brother to see if he is a match.
Mir regrets his actions that day and knows he shouldn’t have joined in. He says he went to protest peacefully and didn’t plan to fight. Still, the balaclava suggests he planned something, and he wants a good life again.
The court gave Mir a suspended sentence of 20 months, suspended for two years. He also must complete unpaid work. A judge explained the situation: an attacker murdered three girls in Southport, and misinformation about the attacker spread online, leading to violent protests across the country.
Hanley had its own protests, and Mir was in one of the opposing groups. Peaceful protesting is okay, said the judge, but violence is never the answer. The riot took place near Mir’s mosque on a Saturday, so many people were out.
Police tried to keep the groups apart, and some officers got hurt during the riot. Mir was seen holding a brick on CCTV, and he wore a balaclava to hide himself.
Mir has a good character, the judge said. He is young, cares for his brother, and works hard. His role was small compared to others. The judge hopes he made the right decision.