Rapper jailed over Tommy Robinson video

A rapper who posted a "menacing" video on social media, aimed at the former English Defence League leader Stephen Yaxley-Lennon, also known as Tommy Robinson, has been jailed.

Omar Abdirizak, known as Twista Cheese, made rifle gestures and imitated firing a gun in the video, which was shared on 10 August last year.

During a trial in January, a court heard the video, which attracted more than two million views, was reposted by Yaxley-Lennon alongside a claim that it was a threat to murder him due to "lies" by the media and politicians.

Abdirizak, 31, of Long Street, Sparkbrook, was jailed for 20 weeks at Birmingham Magistrates' Court on Friday.

During the trial, prosecutors told the court references to guns and artillery made by the Birmingham-based rapper meant it had crossed the line from freedom of speech into criminality.

The drill rapper said he had decided to make the video and publicise his music on YouTube and TikTok to his 20,000 followers "to put Tommy Robinson in his place".

He said he made it after seeing footage of broadcaster Piers Morgan and influencer Andrew Tate discussing issues connected to last summer's riots.

The artist denied making a gun gesture in the video and said the references to artillery were an encouragement to viewers to seek out a music video made in Somalia, which featured rifles and a rocket-propelled grenade launcher.

However, he was found guilty of sending an offensive or menacing message on social media.

He also admitted possession of cannabis and a racially aggravated public order offence.

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