Nigel Farage breaks silence as Aghan migrant who 'threatened to kill him' appears in court

Nigel Farage has said an Afghan migrant's video, where he is alleged to have threatened to kill the Reform UK leader while travelling to the UK on a small boat, was "chilling". Fayaz Khan, 26, told the Reform leader he was going to "pop pop" while making a gun gesture in a post on TikTok during his journey in October last year, the court heard.

Mr Farage described a TikTok video made by an Afghan migrant as "chilling" while giving evidence in court on Tuesday, reported Reuters. The video, posted by 26-year-old Fayaz Khan in October 2024, allegedly featured gun gestures directed at Farage and the words "pop, pop, pop." Khan, who has a tattoo of an AK-47 on his face, is standing trial at Southwark Crown Court accused of making a threat to kill the Reform UK leader.

According to the prosecution, Khan had been documenting his attempt to reach Britain on social media, amassing a large following before his interaction with Farage.

The dispute began when Farage used clips from Khan's journey in a YouTube video criticising illegal migration. Khan's alleged response - a video calling out "Englishman Nigel" while mimicking gunfire - was quickly flagged and brought to Farage's attention.

Prosecutor Peter Ratliff told jurors that Khan's posts also hinted at potential access to firearms, compounding the seriousness of the threat and leading to his arrest and subsequent trial.

Taking the witness stand, Farage said the video left him "genuinely worried," noting that criticism and verbal abuse are routine parts of public life but that this particular incident crossed a line.

Fayaz Khan (also known online by the alias "Madapasa") is said to have operated from Sweden for a time prior to the incident, building a substantial social media presence there.

Witnesses in court noted that he had been posting videos about his intentions and journey toward the UK, even before encountering Farage.

In his defence, Khan claims he was acting under instruction from an unknown "agent" and purportedly did not intend actual harm or even know who Farage was at the time.

Khan's legal defense argues the video was misinterpreted and exploited for political messaging, rather than a genuine death threat.

He has also denied the charge of "threatening to kill" and faces a separate charge of sending a grossly offensive video in the same timeframe.

If convicted, the case could set important precedents on how online threats are treated under UK law, especially when intertwined with political discourse and social media amplification.