British activist Majid Freeman jailed for 22 weeks over role in Leicester riots

A British activist was sentenced on Monday to 22 weeks in prison over a public order incident during riots that took place in Leicester in September 2022. 

Majid Freeman, a campaigner and humanitarian worker, was convicted under the 1986 Public Disorder Act, according to a defence sentencing note seen by Middle East Eye. 

Two years ago, confrontations between groups of young Hindu and Muslim men broke out in Leicester in central England.

The violence was partly blamed on far-right Hindutva groups, including the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) paramilitary organisation.

Freeman was convicted of committing a public disorder act on 17 September 2022, during the confrontations. 

The court found that "immediate unlawful violence was intended" during that incident, and that Freeman had used "abusive words with the intention that violence would be provoked". 

A trial took place before Judge Amar Mehta at Northampton Magistrates' Court. 

The conviction took place on the basis of a sustained incident that caused officers at the scene to fear serious violence in the context of an overall incident in which violence was used, according to the defence sentencing note. 

Freeman, 36, was represented by Sam Parham of Garden Court Chambers. 

Leicester is one of the most diverse cities in the UK, with people who identify as British Indians, both Hindu and Muslim, making up more than a quarter of the total population of 329,000, according to figures from a 2011 census.

Dozens of people were arrested during the violence two years ago, including people who had travelled to Leicester from other UK cities.