Overview
- Shahid Butt is running as an independent for Birmingham’s Sparkhill ward in May’s local elections.
- A resurfaced 2024 YouTube interview shows him praising the “compassion” of those who fight for jihad, while he also condemned ISIS in the same exchange.
- At a November rally over Maccabi Tel Aviv’s visit to Aston Villa, he urged a large turnout and told protesters “Muslims are not pacifists… if somebody comes into your face, you knock his teeth out,” though he also urged people not to bring weapons and Israeli fans were barred from the match citing safety concerns.
- He was convicted in Yemen in 1999 for plotting attacks in Aden and received a five‑year sentence.
- Butt says he has spent over 20 years deterring recruits to extremist groups, yet his bid has drawn rebukes from Lord Walney, Ghaffar Hussain, the Campaign Against Antisemitism and Hertfordshire Friends of Israel.