A man who entered the UK on a small boat has been found guilty of making a threat to kill Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. Fayaz Khan, 26, an Afghan national, was convicted by a majority of jurors after nearly 12 hours of deliberation at Southwark Crown Court.
The court heard that Khan posted a video on TikTok in October last year in which he said 'pop, pop, pop' while making gun gestures and pointing to an AK-47 tattoo on his face. Farage told the court the video was 'pretty chilling' and that he was genuinely worried given Khan's proximity to guns.
Khan had a large online presence, with his videos amassing hundreds of thousands of views. In autumn 2023, his videos focused on his attempts to reach the UK by small boat. He had lived in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019.
The threat followed a YouTube video by Farage titled 'the journey of an illegal migrant' that highlighted Khan. In response, Khan's video included the words: 'I'm coming to England. I'm going to pop, pop, pop.' The prosecutor said the threat was 'sinister and menacing' and that Khan was 'a dangerous man with an interest in firearms'.
Khan's defence argued that his behaviour was 'idiosyncratic, moronic, comedic, eye-catching, attention-seeking' and not a genuine threat. However, the jury found him guilty. Khan will be sentenced on Tuesday for the threat to kill conviction and for entering the UK illegally.
