Twista Cheese has been found guilty of posting a “menacing” video aimed at Tommy Robinson.
The Birmingham-based rapper – whose real name is Omar Abdirizak – had previously pleaded not guilty to allegedly sending a grossly offensive or menacing message via a public communications network.
The charge was in connection to a video in which the rapper threatened the British anti-Islam campaigner and far-right activist while making a gun gesture and shouting “pow, pow, pow”.
Now, after standing trial today (January 8) at Birmingham Magistrates Court, Abdirizak was convicted. The prosecutor, Tim Talbot-Webb, said that the reference of guns and artillery in the video shared by the rapper meant that the video was no longer part of freedom of speech and had crossed the line to criminality.
THREATS TO MURDER ME BECAUSE OF MEDIA AND POLITICIANS LIES
This Somali pirate known as Twista Cheese has threatened me because he believes ‘I have been running my mouth saying we are going to attack the mosques’
He’s simply repeating the LIE of what @PiersUncensored said during… pic.twitter.com/EtoReCNHsd
— Tommy Robinson 🇬🇧 (@TRobinsonNewEra) August 10, 2024
Robinson reposted the video on his official X/Twitter page last August and claimed that the drill rapper had threatened to murder him. The post has over 2million views since its upload.
The clip sees Abdirizak saying that he has a message for the jailed former English Defence League leader. He claims that he has “Muslims in every corner” and says “look at the artillery we’ve got”.
As reported by The Independent, the rapper went on to deny that he made direct threats to Robinson and said that he had created the video as a way to promote his music on YouTube and TikTok and “to put Tommy Robinson in his place” in response to issues connected to last summer’s riots.
“I am saying, if you come – self-defence,” he said. “Even when I say ‘bam, bam, bam’, this is all entertainment.”
However, Talbot-Webb said that the video was shared during a time “when there was indeed disorder aimed at mosques and other institutions”.
He continued: “The crown say that by making references to pirates and artillery … any member of the public seeing that could well have been caused apprehension of serious violence.”
District Judge Wain found Abdirizak guilty and said: “Having heard the defendant’s evidence I am satisfied that this was the intended meaning of the communication rather than an attempt to promote his music.”
The rapper was granted conditional bail for sentencing on February 12 after the court had expressed their concern at “hidden disabilities” that need to be explored such as mental health issues. Abdirizak will also be sentenced for possession of cannabis and a racially aggravated public order offence.
Elsewhere, Elon Musk recently called for Robinson’s release. Last week, the tech billionaire pinned a tweet on his X/Twitter page that read “Free Tommy Robinson!”, and tagged the far-right activist, who is in jail for contempt of court.
Musk’s father – Errol – recently shared that he believes there is a “good chance” that Robinson will become prime minister. While speaking to Times Radio (via the Independent), Errol said: “If you are a student of history, like I am, they will tell you there’s a good chance Tommy Robinson will become the prime minister one day.”
He then went on to reference former South African president Nelson Mandela, who had been imprisoned prior to his role.
