An Afghan national, Fayaz Khan, has been found guilty of threatening to kill Nigel Farage, the leader of Britain’s populist Reform UK party, in a disturbing TikTok video posted in October 2024. The verdict was delivered by a jury at Southwark Crown Court in London on Friday.
Khan, 26, was convicted of one count of making a threat to kill after prosecutors presented a video in which he appeared to make gun gestures and repeatedly said “pop, pop, pop”—an apparent reference to shooting. The court heard that Khan, who has an AK-47 rifle tattooed on his face, uploaded the clip as a response to a video Farage had shared discussing immigration.
Farage had posted a YouTube video criticizing the arrival of “young males of fighting age” entering Britain, including clips from Khan’s social media posts showing his journey from Sweden to the UK. Two days later, Khan responded on TikTok, saying, “Englishman Nigel, don’t talk shit about me,” before making gun motions and headbutting the camera.
Taking the witness stand on Tuesday, Farage described the video as “chilling” and said he was “genuinely worried” for his safety. He told the jury that while criticism and abuse are part of public life, Khan’s apparent familiarity with firearms made the threat feel real.
Khan’s lawyer, Charles Royle, argued that the clip was not a genuine threat, claiming Khan was performing as a character on social media. However, the jury disagreed, finding him guilty by a 10-2 majority.
Khan had already pleaded guilty to entering Britain illegally, and he will be sentenced next week for both offenses.
The case has reignited concerns about online extremism and the safety of public figures, particularly in the heated political climate surrounding immigration debates in the UK.
