An Afghan asylum seeker threatened to come to England and shoot Nigel Farage whilst making gun gestures in a chilling TikTok video filmed during his journey to Britain, a court has heard.
Fayaz Khan, 26, also told the Reform UK leader he would marry his sister whilst travelling to the UK from Sweden, jurors at Southwark Crown Court were told. The asylum seeker, who sports a distinctive tattoo of a Kalashnikov assault rifle on his cheek, was detained shortly after his arrival in the country via a small boat crossing the English Channel.
Footage released by the Crown Prosecution Service shows Khan, known online as Mada Pasa, addressing “English man Nigel” directly in the video. “You do not know me. I come to England because I want to marry your sister,” he says in the clip. “Don’t talk about me more. Delete the video. I’m going to come to England. I’m going to pop pop pop.”
Khan then points at the gun tattoo on his cheek before pretending to headbutt the camera in an aggressive display.
Video posted in response to Farage’s migrant documentary
Jurors heard the threatening clip was posted on 14th October 2024, just two days after Farage shared a video entitled “The Journey of an Illegal Migrant” on his social media platforms.
Prosecutor Peter Ratliff explained that Farage’s video had focused on the individuals making Channel crossings rather than simply the numbers involved. “The words he used were that these were ‘young males of fighting age coming into our country about whom we know very little,'” Mr Ratliff told the court.
“In that video Nigel Farage highlighted the example of the defendant, by using his own social media posts, as an example of someone who plainly did not have any legitimate claim to be in the UK, but who would be in the UK in a matter of days. Nigel Farage’s video prompted a violent reaction on the part of the defendant.”
Farage: ‘I understood very clearly he was going to shoot me’
Giving evidence today, the Clacton MP said Khan came across as threatening in his TikTok videos and that the gun tattoo on his face was “particularly aggressive.”
“The response to my video was pretty chilling,” Farage told the court. “What he says is that he’s coming to England and he’s going to shoot me. I understood very clearly as did many other people.”
When questioned about whether Khan’s reference to marrying his sister could have been a joke, Farage replied firmly: “Absolutely not. It was perfectly clear this was a deeply misogynistic individual.”
The Reform UK leader added that he was “genuinely, genuinely worried” about the threat and expressed concern that Khan would be free to walk the streets after arriving in Britain. “That is a symbol for a gun. ‘Pop, pop, pop’ is the sound of the gun. I was genuinely concerned he would be free to walk the streets, and I still am,” Farage said.
Social media following and previous posts
The court was told Khan had been living in Stockholm, Sweden, since 2019 and had garnered a substantial social media following under the name Madapasa. His TikTok videos documenting his journey to the UK had attracted significant attention online.
After police seized his phone following his arrest, officers discovered he had posted about Farage before the threatening video, the court heard. Prosecutors also revealed that Khan had a video on his phone showing a GB News presenter discussing Farage’s original video about him.
Defendant denies charges
Khan, who appeared in the dock wearing grey prison tracksuits with his facial tattoos visible to the court, is being assisted by a Dari interpreter throughout proceedings. He has pleaded not guilty to making a threat to kill.
The defendant, currently of Sheerness in Kent but previously listed as of no fixed address, is also charged with persistently making use of a public communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety.
Khan documented his journey across the English Channel on social media, posting various videos showing his progress towards Britain. In some of the footage highlighted by Farage’s original video, someone was seen holding a pistol, the court heard.
Context of Channel crossings debate
The case comes amid intense political debate about illegal Channel crossings and border security. Farage has been one of the most vocal critics of the Government’s handling of small boat arrivals, regularly highlighting the issue through his social media channels and parliamentary work.
His original video featuring Khan’s social media posts was part of a broader commentary on the demographics of those making the dangerous Channel crossing, specifically questioning the high proportion of young men amongst the arrivals and raising concerns about security vetting.
The trial, which is expected to last four days, continues at Southwark Crown Court. Khan remains in custody whilst proceedings are ongoing.
The case has reignited debates about both online threats against public figures and the challenges surrounding asylum seekers arriving via irregular routes. It also raises questions about social media’s role in facilitating both migration journeys and potential threats against politicians.
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