Family Living in Fear After Tommy Robinson’s Misleading Post Sparks Abuse
A peaceful family day out has turned into a nightmare for a Yorkshire grandfather after far-right activist Tommy Robinson shared a misleading video, unleashing a flood of online abuse and threats.
Innocent Park Visit Twisted Into Sick Smear
The clip, originally posted on TikTok by Natalie Ayeni, shows her husband, musician Olajuwon Ayeni, playing with his twin granddaughters in a park. The caption simply read: “Grandad duties with the twins.”
But Robinson reposted the video to his 1.4 million followers on X (formerly Twitter) with a provocative caption: “Wtf is even going on here? Where are the parents?!” This sparked a brutal wave of harassment against Olajuwon.
Threats, Abuse and Community Fear
The family say they have been overwhelmed by false accusations of paedophilia, threatening messages online, and even in-person confrontations. Olajuwon told The Guardian:
“I feel unsafe, scared and sad, as mine and my brother’s lives have been threatened. Someone said they will seek revenge and I’ll never walk again, all for just being in the park with the kids I love on a family day out.”
His wife Natalie revealed the abuse has followed them into their local community:
“Just after it started to go viral, someone in the local pub recognised Olajuwon immediately. Two lads passed us and said ‘I hope you’re not them off that video or we’re coming back to slash you up’. Someone was shouting ‘paedophile’ outside the house the other night. It feels a matter of time before something bad happens.”
The fallout even cost Olajuwon his record management deal, showing just how damaging the smear has been.
Robinson Deletes Post Amid Backlash
After days of mounting criticism, Robinson — whose real name is Stephen Yaxley-Lennon — finally deleted the inflammatory post.
X’s AI platform, Grok, confirmed:
“Yes, based on multiple reports and searches, Tommy Robinson has deleted the tweet sharing the video of the grandfather with his granddaughters. The misrepresentation led to threats against the family, who are now in fear.”
Police Step In to Protect Family
Cleveland Police are now providing support to the family. Superintendent Emily Harrison urged the public to stop spreading the video and false claims:
“Cleveland Police would also urge social media users to refrain from further sharing either the video or any incorrect information about the people featured.”
Tommy Robinson has been contacted for comment.
