Reform UK leader Nigel Farage told a London court that he genuinely believed an Afghan migrant was coming to shoot him after watching a TikTok video that appeared to threaten his life. The case was heard at Southwark Crown Court, where 26-year-old Fayaz Khan is standing trial for making a threat to kill.
Prosecutors said Khan, an Afghan national who had been living in Sweden since 2019, posted a video on TikTok in October 2024 showing him making gun gestures and saying “pop, pop, pop.” He also pointed to a tattoo of an AK-47 rifle on his face. This came a day after Farage released a YouTube video criticizing the arrival of young male migrants to the UK.
Farage told the court he felt “genuinely worried” after seeing the clip. “Given his proximity and clear love of guns, I was genuinely, genuinely worried,” he said. “I thought he was coming to England and that he was going to shoot me.”
According to prosecutor Peter Ratliff, Khan used the social media handle “MadaPassa” and had hundreds of thousands of followers. He reportedly told Farage to delete his video, saying, “Don’t talk about me, you don’t know me,” before making more gun gestures and saying he wanted to come to England “to marry your sister.”
The court heard that Khan crossed from France to Britain by small boat on October 31, 2024, and was arrested shortly after arriving. Prosecutors claimed some of his other social media posts suggested he might have access to firearms and that he later shared another video saying, “I mean what I say,” over a GB News report about the alleged threat.
Farage said the phrase “pop, pop, pop” sounded like a direct threat to him and his family. He told the jury, “In politics, you get a lot of nasty messages, but what stood out here was someone first saying they are coming for you and then showing how they plan to do it.”
Khan has pleaded not guilty to the charge of making a threat to kill. He told police he did not know who Farage was and that he was “high” when the video was filmed. He also denied making any gun gestures in the clip.
What is the case about?
The court case centers on whether Khan’s video was a real threat or just an online stunt taken out of context. Prosecutors argue it was a serious threat, while the defense says it was a misunderstanding influenced by intoxication.
The trial is still ongoing, and the court will determine whether the Afghan migrant’s actions were meant to intimidate or simply misinterpreted.