The leader of a pro-Palestine motorbike gang that he claimed “shut down” central London ahead of Christmas was once saved from jail by Jews – but now believes they are “greedy”, the JC can reveal.

Yusef Bouattoura, a fitness influencer with 100,000 followers on Instagram, led dozens of loudly revving motorcyclists along Bond Street, where he tried to hang a Palestinian flag on a lamppost.

A video of the “protest” shared by Bouattoura shows him sprinting between two lines of motorbikes and is captioned: “Last night we shut down London with the superbikes”.

Speaking on a business podcast two weeks ago, Bouattoura said: “With Jewish people, they are very greedy as well. When one person has you, everyone wants you. If you’re the best at something, everyone wants you.

“For them, money isn’t valuable in a way that they can afford anything. It gets to a point where if they can afford it, they have full control over you. But I never allowed that to happen.

When discussing his views on investment and business practices, he told Kazi Shafiqur Rahman, who hosts the Side by Side Podcast, that “there are no rules” for Jewish people when it comes to financial dealings, contrasting this with the “loads of rules” that Muslims must follow.

However, six years ago, Bouattoura - who grew up as a Muslim in Stamford Hill – appeared to be a vocal supporter of the Jewish community.

Bouattoura told the JC in a 2018 interview how he had turned his life around with the help of his Jewish clients.

He credited his “loyal Jewish clientele” with helping him stay out of prison and rebuild his life after spending time in a Young Offenders Institution.

“Without them, I believe I would still be in prison,” he said.

Bouattoura, who had previously been involved in gang culture and had spent time behind bars, also revealed he had raised more than £20,000 for Jewish charities like Norwood, One Family, Gift, and Rays of Sunshine by hosting fitness events at which attendees donated to charity.

In 2018, Bouattoura even visited Israel with his brother Idris, where they ran free fitness classes on the beach.

Reflecting on his time there, Bouattoura spoke with admiration about the diversity he witnessed. He said, “You have Muslims, Jews, Christians—everyone together and they were all friendly. It’s not like they show you on the media. Of course, it can be more complicated, but we saw people together.”

During the trip, Bouattoura expressed how much he learned from the Jewish community, particularly their emphasis on family, solidarity, and charity. “The Jewish community is the most giving group I have met, which is why I have always wanted to give back to them,” he said.

Yusef Bouattoura lead a superbike gang protest in central London earlier this month (Image: Instagram @pro.pt)

The Metropolitan Police were made aware of the Bond Street incident but confirmed in a statement that by the time they arrived, the group had already dispersed.

“We understand that the drivers’ presence and behaviour caused disruption and intimidation to those in the area. We are looking into the circumstances of the incident to establish if any criminal offences have been committed and will take action if so,” the police said.

Bouattoura used the rally to promote a 100km run to raise £100,000 for a Gaza relief fund, writing alongside footage of the protest: “Let’s make history! In less than 24 hours I’ll be running 100k for 100k”.

When approached for comment regarding his controversial remarks, Bouattoura responded with a simple phrase: “FREE PALESTINE,” followed by the Palestinian flag emoji.

He later added, “The reason I said Free Palestine is because I believe everyone in the world should be free. Palestine is one of the areas the world is focused on right now. There can be a two-state solution where Palestine is free and Israel is equally free. If that can end the conflict, then I believe it’s a good thing.”

Bouattoura clarified: “I don’t hate anyone. I believe in peace and love for all. Anyone who has faith, whichever religion you follow, or even if you don’t follow any religion, everyone should believe in peace, justice, and freedom for all. I understand every community in the world has good and bad. In reality, where good people have helped me in life, whatever religion they follow—including the Jewish community—I’m grateful to them. Peace, love, justice, and freedom.”