Petition Forces Council to Debate Celebration of Ali G Link

Published on: 27 Aug, 2026
Updated on: 27 Aug, 2026

Ali G Wikipedia

By James Moules

local democracy reporter

A petition calling for an attraction celebrating Ali G in Staines to tie in with the release of his new film is set to be discussed by councillors after it crossed a crucial signature threshold.

Petition organiser Alex Balkan, who has lived around Staines since 2015, wants the town to embrace its association with the Sacha Baron Cohen character in good humour.

Fourteen years ago, Staines changed its name to Staines-upon-Thames in a move that was widely seen as an attempt to distance the town from negative links to the fictional resident.

But Mr Balkan, who is also a former Runnymede Borough Councillor, believes the mood in Staines has changed. He is calling for a temporary landmark to celebrate the town in time for the release of ‘Ali G: Who Iz I?’ in October.

“I set up the petition with the strong belief that local people in the area can take a joke,” he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS). “And I think I was proven right.”

He argues that a short term landmark to commemorate the new film’s release could bring economic benefits to the town, citing other examples of temporary exhibitions such as Manchester’s Bee in the City trail in 2018.

The petition has gathered more than 300 signatures across both its online and paper options, and is poised for council discussion next month.

Petition organiser Alex Balkan

Mr Balkan said the petition was about “trying to get consensus” for the project. “At the end of the day, I just want this thing through. I think it would be a social and economic benefit to the area.”

However, he is clear that he does not want the monument to be paid for with residents’ council tax receipts, instead calling for a partnership of community groups to explore options.

“At the bare minimum, what the petition asks for is an event associated with the movie – some kind of celebration,” he explained.

“We can assess going forward whether we should do something more permanent associated with Ali G.”

A Spelthorne Borough Council spokesperson said: “The council is aware of the petition, which has been formally submitted through the council’s petition scheme.

“The petition has received enough responses to meet the threshold for consideration by councillors at committee. It is scheduled to be considered at the committee meeting on 8 September.”

The release of ‘Ali G Indahouse’ in 2002 brought both the character and Staines to international attention, although many residents felt it gave an unfairly negative impression of the town.

Staines’ name change to Staines-upon-Thames in 2012 is widely believed to be linked to this, although then Spelthorne Borough Councillor Colin Davis told the BBC around the time that “it goes back further than that”.