TikToker Apologises After Live Stream Mocking 2013 Murder of Soldier Lee Rigby
A British TikTok live streamer has issued a public apology after footage circulated online in which he appeared to mock the murder of Fusilier Lee Rigby, the British soldier killed in a terrorist attack in Woolwich in 2013. The incident has generated significant discussion on social media, with many questioning the sincerity of the apology.
Fusilier Lee James Rigby, a 25-year-old soldier from the 2nd Battalion Royal Regiment of Fusiliers, was murdered on 22 May 2013 near the Royal Artillery Barracks in Woolwich, south-east London. He was struck by a car before being attacked with knives and a cleaver. The perpetrators, Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale, both British men of Nigerian heritage who had converted to Islam, remained at the scene and stated that the killing was in retaliation for British military actions in Muslim countries. Both were convicted of murder in December 2013. Adebolajo received a whole-life sentence, while Adebowale was given a minimum term of 45 years.
The TikToker involved has been identified across social media platforms as Farhad Sidiqi (also known online as numero1l and number1w_), a resident of the Uxbridge area in west London who works as a specialist recruitment consultant in the food manufacturing sector. During a live stream, clips of which later went viral, he made comments expressing satisfaction regarding what happened to Rigby. Some circulating footage also includes remarks that viewers have interpreted as threatening in nature toward English women.
Following the spread of the clips, Sidiqi posted an apology on TikTok. In the statement, he said he wished to “sincerely apologise to anyone who was offended or upset by my actions during my LIVE.” He claimed his content was intended for entertainment and that he had never meant to “disrespect anyone or make light of a tragic situation.” He attributed the comments to anger and frustration after receiving what he described as ongoing racist and Islamophobic abuse in his comment sections, as well as remarks about events in Palestine. He stated that he had acted with “poor judgement,” that he “genuinely regret[ted] it,” and that he had never threatened anyone or intended harm. Reports also indicated that he removed a photograph of himself taken at or near the location associated with the attack.
The original stream and the subsequent apology have primarily circulated on X and other social platforms. Responses have been largely critical. Many users have described the apology as damage control rather than genuine remorse, arguing that the original comments were indefensible regardless of the surrounding context of online arguments. Some have tagged the Metropolitan Police and called for the matter to be examined under existing laws relating to the glorification of terrorism or public order. Others have highlighted that Sidiqi has posted multiple apology videos in a short period. The story has not, at the time of writing, received significant coverage from major mainstream news outlets and remains largely a social media phenomenon.
Sidiqi has also addressed related criticism by stating that certain confrontational content on his channel, referred to as “battles,” is staged for entertainment purposes. The episode illustrates the speed with which online content can escalate, the challenges of policing speech on live-streaming platforms, and the particular sensitivities surrounding the memory of high-profile terrorist attacks in the UK. Whether authorities will take any further interest in the matter remains unclear.
