Ashley Banjo Receives Death Threats after Diversity’s BLM Performance

Ashley Banjo says he’s received death threats because of  Diversity’s BLM performance but insists he will ‘stand by it’ and calls it ‘a gift’.

Ashley Banjo has broken his silence over Diversity’s controversial Black Lives Matter routine that was performed on Britains Got Talent as Ofcom reported it had received a staggering 15,500 complaints. He also revealed that he and Diversity have been the target of ‘racial abuse and threats’ following the group’s controversial BLM routine.

Dancer and Britain’s Got Talent judge took to Instagram to share a video on Sunday in which he addressed both the positive and negative response, as he revealed he and the group have been the target of ‘racial abuse and threats’ following the dance.

In the statement, he said: “It’s been a lot, everything from racial abuse to threats, to just some really nasty stuff. I’m not going to give light to it, I’m not going to give it any more time than it deserves but a lot of the negativity, the nastiness, and the racism shows exactly why these performances and exactly why this conversation that has arisen is so necessary.”

‘Racism is very real, I’ve known it before and I definitely know it now.’

In the Instagram seven-minute video he said: ” As an artist and performer, it was the “biggest gift ever” to return to the stage that made him famous and shine a light on important issues.

Sitting in a T-shirt and cap, he said: “Trust me, I’m right in the centre of it, and the negativity is the minority. The positive response has been huge. So thank you so much to everyone who has supported, shown love and stood by what we did. We’re feeling positive, proud, happy, confident and we stand by every single decision that we made with that performance.”

“If I’m honest with you, to be able to stand on the very stage that launched Diversity into the limelight, as a judge on the panel standing up for something we believe in, using our art to speak a nationwide conversation.”

Ashley concluded the post by thanking all his followers who have stood by him and Diversity, and he ‘sent love’ to “every single one of you that’s thrown positive energy or negative energy at me and the group.”