Leicester man jailed for sharing neo-nazi terrorist material

A 20-year-old Leicester man has been jailed after using Telegram to distribute neo-Nazi propaganda and footage celebrating some of the far right’s most notorious terrorist attacks.

Zayan Lorgat
Zayan Lorgat

A Leicester man who “adopted the persona” of a right-wing extremist, has been jailed for more than two years after admitting to sharing racist, neo-nazi and antisemitic material, including graphic footage of far-right terrorist attacks.

Zayan Lorgat, 20, was sentenced to 27 months at Leicester Crown Court earlier this week August after pleading guilty to four counts of disseminating a terrorist publication under the Terrorism Act 2006.

He will also be subject to a 12-month extended licence period following his release.

Massacre videos

Lorgat was arrested in October 2024 after counter-terrorism officers searched his home on Grantham Road, Leicester. He had been sharing extremist videos and images on several Telegram chats from the age of 17.

The material included footage relating to some of the most notorious far-right terrorist attacks of recent years, including film of the 2019 attack in Halle, Germany, in which neo-nazi Stephan Balliet killed two people after attempting to storm a synagogue, the Christchurch mosque massacre, and the 2022 racist mass shooting in Buffalo, New York, in which ten Black people were murdered.

He also shared a video game depicting the Christchurch attack, in which 51 Muslim worshippers were killed.

Adopted persona

Lorgat had adopted an online persona as a white, extreme-right sympathiser in an attempt to gain acceptance and followers. The prosecution said he continued posting anti-LGBTQ+ and antisemitic material because he feared losing followers if he changed his views.

Judge Timothy Spencer KC said Lorgat was seeking online validation, and that the material he had posted had been more than “one horrific, appalling video”.


Professor Colin Holmes

Professor Colin Holmes
Everyone who wants to understand contemporary racism and its historical background needs to read Searchlight.
Professor Colin Holmes
University of Sheffield

Peter Hain

Peter Hain, founder of the ANL and friend of Searchlight
British Jews have been persecuted over the centuries; British blacks since the Windrush generation of the 1950s; British Muslims, especially after the Islamist 9/11 and then 7/7 terrorist attacks in New York 2001 and London 2005. But until the last few years there has not been a simultaneous threat against all three British communities of Jewish, Black and Muslim Britons – meaning the need for Searchlight has never been greater.
Peter Hain
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minster

Alf Dubs

Lord Alf Dubs
Searchlight’s voice is more important than ever, and I am delighted that it will now be available to a wider audience than ever before in its new incarnation online. Searchlight has been extremely helpful over the years in exposing the far right, corruption, criminality and the murky links between organised crime and powerful interests in the UK and abroad. I wish Searchlight the very best.
Alf Dubs
Labour peer, former MP and Cabinet Minister, and Kindertransport child

Nick Davies

Nick Davies
To investigate fascists takes real courage and unusual commitment. The government, police, mainstream media occasionally take a look, but in the UK only Searchlight have kept at it, relentlessly and admirably, regardless of threat or obstacle. It’s journalism that matters. A rare thing.
Nick Davies
Multi-award-winning investigative journalist and writer

Paul Nowak

Paul Nowak
The essence of trade unionism is solidarity, fairness and equality – for all workers – from all backgrounds. That’s why our fight against the far-right has always been part of our movement’s DNA. Searchlight is an incredibly important resource for trade unions and members to understand the contemporary tactics of far-right activity. Their work and intelligence gathering over the years have been incredibly insightful for the work we do, and how we fight the scourge of fascism.
Paul Nowak
TUC General Secretary

Paul Holborow

Paul Holborow
In the campaign against the National Front, Searchlight provided a rich and utterly reliable basis for much ANL propaganda – particularly with reference to the two leading NF figures, John Tyndall and Martin Webster. The appearance of Tyndall in full nazi uniform, drawn from the archives of Searchlight, was a key part of ANL propaganda, coupled with deeply damaging nazi quotes from Webster.
Paul Holborow
Founding member of the ANL and National Organiser 1977-81

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