The court defeat of YouTuber and anti-Israel activist Mohammed Hijab—real name Mohammed Hegab—marks a major legal victory for The Spectator and columnist Douglas Murray. Mr Justice Johnson dismissed Hegab’s defamation claim in full, ruling that Murray’s 2022 article about Hegab’s role in the Leicester riots was “substantially true.”
Hegab traveled to Leicester in September 2022 during tensions between Muslims and Hindus, addressing a masked crowd with remarks the court found to be ridicule of Hindus: “what a humiliation and pathetic thing for them to be reincarnated into some pathetic weak cowardly people like that.” Hegab claimed the comments targeted only Hindutva nationalists, but the judge concluded otherwise.
The court found Hegab lied repeatedly under oath, presenting “worthless” testimony and fabricating contracts to claim financial loss. Alleged business deals—worth tens of thousands of pounds—were “contrived for the purpose of these proceedings.” Justice Johnson noted that Hegab’s own videos were “at least as reputationally damaging to him as the article” and rejected the claim of additional harm.
Throughout the trial, Hegab’s conduct was combative. He mocked legal counsel, declaring in court, “It’s an unsalvageable case, Greg! It really is!” The judgment describes him as “not credible,” “untenable,” and “confected.” The ruling leaves Hegab liable for significant costs after an attempt to silence the press backfired.
