Internet users dig up old clips of Yung Filly following the YouTuber’s arrest in Australia

By Abby Amoakuh

Published Oct 10, 2024 at 01:28 PM

Reading time: 2 minutes

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Images courtesy of Yung Filly via Instagram

Following allegations of raping and assaulting a young woman, British YouTuber, musician, and influencer Yung Filly, also known as Andrés Felipe Valencia Barrientos, was arrested in Australia. The news has sparked a widespread online debate regarding whether or not viewers and fans should have spotted any warning signs regarding the content creator’s behaviour.

The 29-year-old was taken into custody in Brisbane on Tuesday 8 October 2024, and was extradited to Perth on 9 October. Not much is known about the incident in question at this point, however, it allegedly occurred on 28 September following one of Filly’s shows.

According to multiple reports, the musician brought a woman in her 20s back to his hotel room when he was performing in Perth at the nightclub Bar120.

The charges he’s currently facing following that night are four counts of sexual penetration without consent, three counts of assault occasioning bodily harm and one count of impeding a person’s normal breathing or circulation by applying pressure on or to their neck.

When Filly’s barrister Seamus Rafferty first applied for bail on his behalf, the police prosecutors opposed the request, citing strong evidence, including CCTV footage, and the overall serious nature of the allegations. To many, this indicated just how damning the case against Barrientos potentially is…

The prosecutors also expressed concerns about a potential power imbalance given Barrientos’ high status and resources, meaning that he could potentially interfere with witnesses.

The bail was, however, ultimately granted but with strict conditions: the defendant is banned from attempting to contact the victim or make posts on his social media channels about the case, he must remain in Western Australia, report to the police daily, and put up a cash surety of $100,000 AUS (£51,000).

Unsurprisingly, the news of his dramatic arrest sent shockwaves through the internet and his fanbase, which is 1.8 million subscribers strong on YouTube and consists of roughly 3.2 million followers on Instagram.

Many expressed their disappointment in Barrientos’s behaviour, especially considering his idol status in British pop culture.

As expected, the internet wasted no time digging out footage of old interviews and public appearances of the rapper which cast an even more controversial light on the ongoing case.

The old snippets that are now circulating feature the comedian displaying behaviour towards women that netizens have called out as pushy, inappropriate, and potentially even constituting harassment.

Of course, there doesn’t seem to be a clear consensus on whether Barrientos is guilty or not, especially since the case is ongoing. Nevertheless, a sh*tstorm of epic proportions is gathering as you read this, leading some netizens to speculate that Yung Filly’s rapid fall from grace might also be motivated by subconscious racism.

2024 saw numerous trials and high-profile lawsuits involving sexual and domestic violence. Two of the most notorious cases centred around former Hollywood darling Jonathan Majors and musician Sean Combs, aka P Diddy.

This recent wave of perpetrators, Filly included, is evoking fears that racist stereotypes about Black men being wild sexual predators might be resurrected.

West Australia Police have stated that their investigation is still ongoing and has urged anyone with information that may be relevant to call Crimestoppers on 1800 333 000 or visit crimestopperswa.com.au.