Olajuwon Ayeni, a musician and creative entrepreneur based in Redcar, North Yorkshire, and his family have been living in fear. Anti-Muslim activist Tommy Robinson, with 1.4 million followers bona fide racist and antisemite Tommy Robinson, shared the video to Olajuwon’s wife, Natalie Ayeni’s TikTok account. The promo video featured Olajuwon Ayeni and his brother happily playing with their white granddaughters in a city park. It soon turned into a racially charged and threatening scene that became violent.
Robinson did not simply repost Natalie Ayeni’s TikTok video, the original work that he now claims was stolen. This notification ignited a firestorm of online protest. Since the video went public, the Ayeni family has received threats of death and other violent acts. As a result, they were harassed on social media and in real life. One person had even shouted “paedophile” in front of their house, so Olajuwon made a complaint to the police.
The emotional impact on the family has been just as harsh. Olajuwon described the fear that now permeates their lives, stating, “I feel I have to sleep with one eye open.” He did not feel secure though, after two men approached and threatened him. They threatened to “slash him up” if he was actually one of the people in the clip.
Their situation worsened as Olajuwon’s management suspended him from his music career due to the misinterpretation of the video and the ensuing online abuse. The couple’s daily life has been turned upside down. They haven’t ventured outside their home in over a month for fear of endangering their lives. Natalie reflected on the severe impact this incident has had on their family life, saying, “The distress this is causing is unreal, it’s ruined our lives… It’s made me quite poorly to be honest.”
Her local member of parliament Anna Turley has rallied to support Olajuwon, writing a letter of support that speaks to his good character. Cleveland police have stepped in, offering the Ayeni family all available support and advice as they navigate this tumultuous period.
In light of the public discourse prompted by Robinson’s actions, Natalie stated, “We just want people to know the truth. We’re a normal family who went to the park with our grandchildren.” She expressed her sadness about how their peaceful protest had been mischaracterized. The bad faith actions of other people helped produce an all-encompassing atmosphere of fear and anxiety.
As for the situation itself, none other than Robinson himself has poured salt on the fire by making inflammatory statements casting doubt on parental oversight. His statement, “Wtf is even going on here? Where are the parents?!” has only added to the distress experienced by the Ayeni family.
As the clock ticks on, both Olajuwon and Natalie Ayeni are still trying to understand the ramifications of this act. Nor did they expect to end up feeling shunned and afraid. All they were looking to do was capture a beautiful first family trip to the park. Just sharing that one video has absolutely changed their lives. Today, they are scared and exposed—uncertain of their future.