The Green Party has reinstated Newcastle councillor Mohammed Suleman, who was suspended earlier this year after it emerged he had shared an antisemitic post on TikTok.
Coun Suleman was suspended ahead of the May local elections, at which he was elected in the city’s Arthur’s Hill ward. He has since sat as an independent.
The suspension came after he reposted a video on TikTok which claimed that Jewish prisoners of war were willing to bury Soviet prisoners alive under Nazi instruction during World War II. In the video, which claimed to be a reading of a Soviet prisoner’s letter, Jews were described as “ungrateful, merciless, and without love”.
Suspension Lifted
In a statement on Tuesday, the Newcastle Green group confirmed Coun Suleman’s suspension had been lifted and that the party had determined that “no further formal action should be taken in this matter”. It said that the Arthur's Hill representative "is regretful, knows he has been in the wrong, and that the posts he unknowingly shared were antisemitic".
Apologising for his actions, Coun Suleman said: “I am deeply sorry for the mistakes I made in the past resulting in my suspension. I have had time to reflect on and learn from these actions, and will work hard to ensure that in the future my actions reflect my commitment to inclusion, environmental protection and antiracism.”
Environmental Vandalism Conviction
Coun Suleman’s candidacy for the Greens attracted further controversy when it emerged that he had admitted to offences that Newcastle City Council labelled an “act of environmental vandalism” last year.
Fenham Properties Ltd, of which Mr Suleman is a director, was fined thousands of pounds after being prosecuted for burning waste in a large bonfire on the grounds of the historic Pendower Hall, in the West End. He admitted to illegally disposing of waste and operating a facility to dispose of waste without an environmental permit at Newcastle Magistrates' Court in June 2025.
Political Impact
News of his reinstatement comes as the Greens have faced condemnation over a motion passed at their party conference labelling Zionism as racism. With Coun Suleman back in the fold, the Greens have now moved ahead of Reform UK to become the council’s second largest party – with 24 members. The council is currently run by a Liberal Democrat minority administration, with the support of the Greens.
A Green Party spokesperson said: “As Greens we accept that people make mistakes. What is important is how we learn from these mistakes and make amends. Coun Suleman has always been clear he is regretful, knows he has been in the wrong, and that the posts he unknowingly shared were antisemitic. Now his suspension from the Green Party is lifted, we know he will continue to serve his communities in Arthur’s Hill as a Green councillor with dedication.”
Coun Steven Rutherford, who leads the city’s Reform group, said that the Green Party “has questions to answer over allowing Mohammed Suleman back into its ranks”. He added: “If they are serious about tackling racism and antisemitism, they need to explain this decision.”
A spokesperson for Newcastle’s Liberal Democrats said: "Internal disciplinary processes are a matter for respective parties. We understand the Green Party’s process has concluded, Cllr Suleman has been reinstated, and he has publicly apologised. Justice should be fundamentally restorative and rehabilitative, and if Cllr Suleman has acknowledged wrongdoing, apologised and committed to learning from it, then he should be afforded the opportunity to put things right. Antisemitism has no place in Newcastle politics, and we will call it out wherever it occurs."
