A stolen family video of a Black man playing with his white granddaughters was shared by far-right figures and extremists, triggering racial abuse and false paedophile allegations. The musician Olajuwon Ayeni from Redcar and his wife Natalie have received threats and have been frightened to leave their home. Ayeni was suspended by his management and required a character reference from local MP Anna Turley. Online disinformation has damaged Ayeni's social media and career prospects. Police response has been limited, and the family report ongoing fear and public harassment after the viral spread.
Olajuwon Ayeni, a musician from Redcar, North Yorkshire, has been racially abused and falsely labelled a paedophile in the week since the family video was stolen from the TikTok account of his wife, Natalie, who he married five years ago, and shared by extremists online. On Tuesday, the couple's local MP, Anna Turley, was forced to write a letter providing a reference of good character for Ayeni when he was suspended by his management after the online disinformation.
I'm devastated to receive the email from my management, Ayeni said. Music is my life. My social media will be damaged, my career will be tarnished but I am determined to show the truth and hopefully clear it up. He and Natalie say they have been living in fear since being threatened in the street after Robinson shared the video with his 1.4 million followers.
We haven't gone outside at home, we just can't, Natalie said. Just after it started to go viral, someone in the local pub recognised Olajuwon immediately; we couldn't believe how quick it had spread. We were walking home from shops just streets from our house, and two lads passed us, spun round and said I hope you're not them off that video or we're coming back to slash you up'. It's just horrendous.
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