Dramatic CCTV footage showing the moment a gang almost caused a stampede by staging a fake robbery as a YouTube stunt has been released after they were jailed today .
The five men burst into the National Portrait Gallery shouting and screaming which created hysteria among the petrified visitors who tried to flee the building.
Today Endrit Ferizolli, 20, of Wakemans Hill Avenue in Kingsbury, and his four accomplices were jailed for carrying out the prank which was dreamt up to make them stars on the online video-sharing website.
City of London Magistrates’ Court heard the men, who covered their faces, created the mayhem while they appeared to steal a framed artwork.
However they had actually entered the gallery with the artwork on July 15 last year at 3.30pm.
They attempted an identical fake robbery at the Tate Gallery on the same day.
Four of them were arrested hours later.
All admitted causing fear and provocation of violence.
Ferizolli was sentenced to 16 weeks for his part in the National Portrait Gallery incident and eight weeks for the Tate Gallery offence.
Daniel Raymond Marcus Jarvis, 27, from Gravesend in Kent was jailed for 20 and eight weeks.
Ebenezer Mensah, 29, from Peckham, was sentenced to 18 and eight weeks.
Helder Gomes, 23, from Clapham, was given 18 and eight weeks.
All four will serve their sentences concurrently.
Dan Vahn Lee, 31, from Southwark was jailed in March for 12 weeks for his involvement in the National Portrait Gallery incident.
Detective Constable Anthony Parker, from the Met’s Public Order Crime Team, who led the investigation said: “The actions of these five men was outrageous.
“To go into busy public places wearing masks shouting and screaming at a time of heightened awareness of the terrorism threat facing the UK is deplorable.
“The group terrified those visiting the galleries. It is only by pure chance that no one was injured or suffered serious health issues as they fled in what the judge described as a “stampede”.
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