Irfan Ahmed. He’s a love him or hate him kind of guy. I rather enjoy reading his blog, usually. I’m aware of his failings re LGBT rights and Israel, but I’ve been willing to overlook them for a bit.

But come on!

Irfan recently posted an article defending the thugs (who so happened to be young) who beat up Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood. These people decided to attack him after he asked them to stop throwing a football around, in an area where such activity was forbidden. One can argue the rights and wrongs of the prohibition, but not their response to it – they chucked the ball at him repeatedly. He took some photos on his phone as evidence for the police, and for that act was subjected to a rather brutal beating.

This is in marked contrast to Irfan’s description: that the attackers were being “harassed” by the MP taking photos of them. Clearly, that’s not the case.

As President of Liberal Youth Scotland, I think young people have an incredibly valuable contribution to make to politics. But some people need jail sentences, not political support. I believe that Irfan’s making a mistake; defending them because they’re young rather than on the facts of the case.

Young people are, for the most part, invaluable members of society. However, as in any other group there are some bad apples. In this case, they happen to be dangerously violent apples without consciences who need rehabilitation.

PS – Irfan, please don’t take offence to this post, not that you would (*cough*Mark*cough*). I would’ve posted a critique on your blog, only you’ve disabled comments on that post after some critical ones. I think you should let a debate go on, even if the majority opinion is against your own. It isn’t that bad.