Afghan Migrant Sentenced for Threatening Nigel Farage on TikTok

An Afghan migrant is set to be sentenced at Southwark Crown Court today after being found guilty of making a death threat against the leader of Reform UK, Nigel Farage, in a TikTok video. Fayaz Khan, 26, threatened to kill Farage between October 12 and October 15, 2022. The threat was described by Farage as “pretty chilling.”

During a trial that concluded last week, jurors found Khan guilty by a majority of ten to two. Prosecutor Peter Ratliff presented evidence that Khan had established a significant online presence as a TikTok user under the username “madapasa,” with his videos garnering hundreds of thousands of views. The court learned that Khan, an Afghan national who had resided in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019, had focused his content on his attempts to enter the UK by small boat last autumn.

The case took a dramatic turn when Farage uploaded a YouTube video titled “The Journey of an Illegal Migrant” on October 12, which highlighted Khan’s situation and referenced “young males of fighting age” entering the UK. In response, Khan released a TikTok video on October 14, during which he made threats while gesturing with his hands to simulate gunfire and pointed to an AK-47 tattoo on his face to emphasize his seriousness.

At the trial, Detective Constable Liam Taylor revealed that Khan had live-streamed his perilous journey across the English Channel from France. He was arrested on October 31, 2022, after successfully landing in the UK on a small boat.

Farage testified that Khan’s video made him genuinely fearful, stating, “Given his proximity to guns and love of guns, I was genuinely worried.” He added, “He says he’s coming to England and he’s going to shoot me.” Following the verdict, Farage expressed his concerns via a post on social media platform X, questioning the influx of migrants into the UK: “The illegal migrant who threatened to kill me has just been found guilty. How many more of these people are we letting into our country every single day?”

As Khan awaits sentencing, the case has reignited discussions around immigration policies and public safety in the UK, with many calling for stricter measures to prevent such incidents in the future.