Safari Shabani (24) says he was choked unprovoked and in the open road, before being knocked down and kicked by several people.
– We can confirm that police are investigating a violent incident said to have taken place in Oslo’s Youngstorget on the night of Sunday 20 November, writes police lawyer Anders Lafton Briskodden in an email to VG.
Safari Shabani is known to many through his YouTube series ‘Safari on safari’ which was a huge hit in 2020. Earlier this year, he was also seen in the celebrity show ’71 degrees north – team’.
– I’m very scared from the experience, that people out of the blue could do something like this on the open road, he tells VG.
On Sunday night he was walking home alone from a birthday party in Oslo. Shabani says he was walking with a freshly bought coffee in hand when he was approached by a strange man.
– He asked me why I was wearing nail polish. I then replied that it was “swag”. She asked more aggressively again, before also asking me why I was wearing earrings. I didn’t answer.
The man – whom Shabani estimates to be in his 20s – continued to question him and appeared irritated, Shabani said.
– Then a friend of his came and they started pushing me, he says and adds:
– I walked away and then suddenly someone grabbed me and put me on the ground. Then came more shots. I managed to get up and grabbed a broom which I snapped in half. I was just trying to scare them because I was afraid I’d have to defend myself.
Shabani says he is afraid of getting into trouble with the police, so he was very worried about having to defend himself.
– I don’t have a Norwegian passport, and even though I’ve been here for almost ten years, I could risk not getting a Norwegian passport.
The police are investigating
Shabani estimates there were six people around him as he lies on the ground being kicked. He says a friend of his was nearby and the friend was hit twice in the face when he tried to help.
VG has been in contact with the friend mentioned by Shabani. He supports what is being said.
According to Shabani, the six people tried to escape when the police intervened, but one was unable to escape.
The police inform VG that they are the ones who filed the complaint.
– It is coded as a serious physical violation. The investigation is in an initial phase and at the moment we cannot say more about the number of subjects involved or about which concrete investigative steps will be taken.
– It could have been much worse
Shabani says he was affected by the crash.
– At that moment I had so much adrenaline that I didn’t feel pain. The next day I had pain in my neck and back.
– I thought a lot about what could have happened. What wouldn’t have happened if the police hadn’t arrived, if I hadn’t been able to stay away. It could have been much worse.
He therefore considers it important to tell about the incident, which he also did with his more than 16,000 Instagram followers.
– I was very uncertain whether to share it and I didn’t have the courage to post it. On my profile I’m used to joking about everything, but then I realized this was important.
