Prayer leader picked up fork as mosque protesters arrived

He also threw missile - but later acted as 'peacemaker' when police turned up

- Sentinel Reporter

DISORDER: Salam Ahemedi, inset, was at the Town Road mosque when protesters arrived.

A MISSILE-throwing protester was leading prayers in a mosque before he got involved in the Hanley riots.

Salam Ahmedi was caught on CCTV with a garden fork and throwing a missile on August 3 last year.

At one point, the 38-year-old dad was at the front of the police line shouting in another language into a megaphone. However, Stoke-on-Trent Crown Court heard his involvement was short-lived, he was discouraging others from engaging in violence and was 'trying to keep the peace!

The court was told Ahmedi was in the Masjid Salahuddin mosque in Town Road, leading voluntary prayers when he was alerted by others to the disturbance outside.