Johnny Somali

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Johnny Somali
Personal information
Born
Ramsey Khalid Ismael

(2000-09-26) September 26, 2000 (age 23)
Phoenix, Arizona, United States
NationalitySomali American
Websitejohnnysomalilive.com
YouTube information
Channel
Subscribers15.8 thousand[1]
(April 23, 2024)
Total views5.1 million[1]
(April 23, 2024)
Websiteyoutube.com/@JohnnySomali
Kick information
Channel
Years active2023–present
Followers13 thousand
Last updated: April 7, 2024

Ramsey Khalid Ismael (born September 26, 2000), popularly known by his alias Johnny Somali, is a Somali American[note 1] live-streamer.[3]

Early life

Ismael was born in Phoenix, Arizona to a Somali father and an Oromo mother.[4] Ismael says that he was a Somali child soldier.[5] According to Ismael, he grew up in Scottsdale, Arizona and graduated from Arizona State University with a bachelor of science degree in finance in May 2021.[6]

Career

Ismael mostly streams himself on video streaming platforms such as YouTube and Kick as a tourist travelling in different countries, in particular Japan, Thailand, and Israel.[7] He began streaming in May 2023. After being banned from Twitch, he moved to Kick before receiving temporary suspensions from Kick.[8]

Controversies

Japan incidents

During his travels to Japan, Ismael made anti-Japanese taunts towards the Japanese people there,[9][10] which include comments about the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki[11][12] and threats of bombing Japan with nuclear weapons while he was on a train.[13] Several times after these comments, he was assaulted and called racial slurs by some locals who recognized him in public.[14][15]

In June 2023, Ismael went to the Tokyo Disney Resort and played music with lyrics containing the phrase "atomic bomb" and recorded guests' reactions without their permission.[16]

In August 2023, Ismael, who was masked, and Jeremiah Dwane Branch, who was recording for him went into a hotel construction site in Osaka, where he then yelled "Fukushima" at the construction workers. After the construction workers kicked them out, they were both arrested on suspicion of trespassing.[17][18][19] In September they were arrested on the suspicion of conspiracy of obstruction of business when they disrupted a restaurant by playing extremely loud noises and music during business hours.[20][21] He stated that the reason the music was playing was because of the phone producer, Huawei, who "put a Chinese virus on the phone". This was later brought up in court where the judge found him guilty and stated "he could've just turned down the volume on his phone".[22]

On December 19, 2023, Ismael, who had been in custody since his second arrest, appeared at the Osaka District Court of the charge of conspiracy of obstruction of business.[23] The charge of trespassing on a construction site was dropped. Prosecutors requested a fine of ¥200,000.[24] Ismael later admitted to lying to in court to the judge and prosecutor, claiming that he made no money from his videos.[25] A verdict of guilt was reached on January 10, 2024. He was fined ¥200,000 (the equivalent of $1,400) and voluntarily returned to the United States.[26] In March 2024, Ismael stopped doing IRL Streaming and instead opted for "Zoom trolling", mostly targeting Zoom calls involving Japanese people.[27]

Israeli incidents

On March 25, 2024, Ismael went to Tel Aviv, Israel, where he became involved in altercations with local Arab and Jewish people there. He was then confronted and beaten.[28][29] As a result of his IRL stream, Ismael was suspended from Kick for a week due to inciting and promoting violent behavior.[30]

On April 7, 2024, Ismael was reportedly attacked and detained at a protest in Tel Aviv, Israel for disrespecting a female police officer. After his release 16 minutes later, Ismael went live again on the same day and claimed to have witnessed a mass shooting at a restaurant.[31] On April 9, it was reported that he was arrested for his disrespecting act on the female policer officer on April 7 for calling the female officer vulgar names like "bitch" and stating that he will "slap that ass" as he was also stating that he was from the United States as an excuse for his actions, stating "I'm from America, bitch".[32] He is waiting a hearing ahead of his deportation from Israel.[33]

Due to his actions and recent arrests in Israel, Ismael received a ban from Jerusalem for 50 days.[34]

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Some people dispute this and say he is Ethiopian[2]

References

  1. ^ a b "About @JohnnySomali". YouTube.
  2. ^ "Who is Johnny Somali, and why are people in Bali concerned about his arrival?". Coconuts Media. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  3. ^ Bhattacharya, Richik (2023-10-05). "After Johnny Somali's arrest, Japanese government official warned streamers and YouTubers who create "nuisance" for content". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  4. ^ "Waa kuma Johnny Somali, ninka ay ka qeyliyeen madaxda Japan?". BBC News Somali (in Somali). 2023-06-21. Retrieved 2023-12-27.
  5. ^ "Maxaa loo xiray Johnny Somali maxaadse ka taqaanaa ninkan?". BBC News Somali (in Somali). 2023-09-23. Retrieved 2024-04-10.
  6. ^ [@RabbiSomali (April 7, 2024). "I am being slandered" (Tweet) – via Twitter.]
  7. ^ Braw, Elisabeth (2023-09-28). "Attention-Seekers and Autocrats Are a Combustible Mix". Foreign Policy. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  8. ^ Bhattacharya, Richik (2023-09-11). "Johnny Somali gets knocked out on stream, and Kick account gets banned a day after pestering Twitch streamer Meowko". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  9. ^ Mukherjee, Shreyan (2023-06-13). "Who is Johnny Somali? Controversial Kick streamer assaulted on livestream after allegedly harassing people in Japan". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  10. ^ Nishimura, Karyn (2023-09-27). "Le Japon, terrain de jeu des « streamers nuisibles »". Le Point (in French). ISSN 0242-6005. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  11. ^ Glaze, Virginia (2023-10-13). "Johnny Somali arrested again for unauthorized Kick stream in restaurant". Dexerto. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  12. ^ Hernon, Matthew (2023-09-29). "'Johnny Somali' Arrested for Trespassing". Tokyo Weekender. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  13. ^ "US influencer's arrest in Japan shows lengths people go to be 'famous'". South China Morning Post. 2023-09-27. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  14. ^ "Inflammatory Kick streamer attacked again by fed-up Japanese local". Dexerto. 12 June 2023. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  15. ^ "美直播主日本狂喊「再炸廣島」！事後遭路人巴頭襲擊 網譏：他應得的" [American live broadcaster in Japan yelled "Bomb Hiroshima again"! Afterwards, he was attacked by a passerby named Badou. Netizens ridiculed him: "He deserved it"]. FTV News (in Chinese). 2023-06-02. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  16. ^ Dammann, Luke (2023-06-30). "Streamer Goes on Racist Tirade at Disney, Ignores Park Rules". Inside the Magic. Retrieved 2023-12-13.
  17. ^ "Controversial U.S. livestreamer arrested over trespassing in Osaka". The Japan Times. 2023-09-22. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  18. ^ "U.S. livestreamer 'Johnny Somali' accused of trespassing". The Asahi Shimbun. Retrieved 2023-10-18.
  19. ^ McCurry, Justin (2023-10-25). "Japan investigates foreign YouTubers accused of dodging train fares and stealing food". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-10-27.
  20. ^ "迷惑系「ジョニー・ソマリ」容疑者を再逮捕、牛丼店で大音量の音楽 本人は黙秘" [Johnny Somali suspect arrested again, loud music played at beef bowl restaurant, suspect kept silent]. Sankei Shimbun (in Japanese). 2023-10-12. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  21. ^ "US livestreamer served new arrest warrant for hindering business at Osaka eatery". Mainichi Daily News. 2023-10-13. Retrieved 2023-10-19.
  22. ^ Segura, Lidia Fernandez (2024-01-11). "El 'streamer' Johnny Somali, expulsado de Japón tras ser condenado por "obstrucción criminal de una empresa"" [Streamer Johnny Somali, expelled from Japan after being convicted of "criminal obstruction of a company"]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 2024-04-23. Este altercado tuvo lugar en octubre. En ese momento, ante el enfado del dueño del local por las molestias que estaba causando, comentó que toda la culpa era de su móvil. "Es un Huawei, fabricado en China y con un virus chino", se le puede escuchar diciendo en el polémico vídeo, que llevó a muchos internautas japoneses a pedir su detención. [This altercation took place in October. At that moment, faced with the anger of the owner of the premises for the inconvenience he was causing, he commented that his cell phone was all to blame. "It's a Huawei, made in China and with a Chinese virus ," he can be heard saying in the controversial video, which led many Japanese Internet users to call for his arrest.]
  23. ^ "Japanese prosecutors demand fine for controversial American YouTuber". The Japan Times. 2023-12-21. ISSN 0447-5763. OCLC 21225620. Retrieved 2023-12-21.
  24. ^ Dodgson, Lindsay (2023-12-21). "Japanese prosecutors have demanded a controversial streamer pays a fine after he played music in a restaurant". Business Insider. OCLC 1076392313. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  25. ^ "Johnny Somali breaks silence on arrest & admits he lied in Japanese court". Dexerto. 2024-02-27. Retrieved 2024-04-09.
  26. ^ "Kick streamer Johnny Somali vows to stop streaming as Japan court seeks ¥200K fine". Dexerto.
  27. ^ Mukherjee, Shreyan (2024-03-07). ""Hiroshima, Nagasaki!" - Controversial streamer Johnny Somali disrupts ongoing Zoom call to seemingly harass Japanese people". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 2024-03-08.
  28. ^ Shrivastava, Aarnesh (2024-03-26). ""You are nobody" - Destiny goes off at Johnny Somali after controversial streamer calls him "unprofessional"". Sportskeeda. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  29. ^ "American live streamer Johnny Somali, previously jailed in Japan and deported, tries to culturally enrich Israel by harassing Arabs and Jews. He finds out quickly what happens". Portal Kombat. 2024-03-27. Retrieved 2024-03-27.
  30. ^ "Kick bans Johnny Somali for "promoting violent behavior"". Dexerto. 2024-03-20. Retrieved 2024-04-02.
  31. ^ "Controversial Kick streamer Johnny Somali reportedly arrested after making contentious remarks towards Israeli female police officer". Dexerto. 2024-04-07. Retrieved 2024-04-07.
  32. ^ Fink, Rachel (2024-04-09). "'I'm from America, bitch': U.S. livestreamer Johnny Somali arrested in Israel on suspicion of harassing polic". Haaretz. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
  33. ^ "American streamer Johnny Somali arrested for sexually harassing police officer during Tel Aviv protest". The Times of Israel. April 9, 2024. Retrieved April 11, 2024.
  34. ^ Gan, Jeremy (2024-04-12). "Kick streamer Johnny Somali banned from Jerusalem after second arrest in Israel". Dexerto. Retrieved 2024-04-12.
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