Mark Meechan (left) and Tommy Robinson speak to the media at Airdrie Sheriff Court (Picture: SWNS.com)

A man who uploaded a video to YouTube of a pet dog giving Nazi salutes has been convicted of committing a hate crime.

Mark Meechan, 30, recorded his girlfriend’s pug, Buddha, responding to statements such as ‘gas the Jews’ and ‘Sieg Heil’ by raising its paw.

Senior PC admits he could have done more in custody death of mentally ill black man

But after complaints about the content, police were called in and he was arrested for allegedly committing a hate crime by uploading the footage on to the popular video sharing website in April 2016.

The original clip had been viewed more than three million times on YouTube.


Meechan, of Coatbridge, Lanarkshire, went on trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court where he denied any wrong doing. He insisted he made the video to annoy his girlfriend Suzanne Kelly, 29.

To view this video please enable JavaScript, and consider upgrading to a web browser that supports HTML5 video

Meechan was supported at court by far-right activist Tommy Robinson (Picture: SWNS.com)

Markus Meechan’s video of his girlfriend’s dog Buddha (Picture: Markus Meechan / SWNS.com)

However, Sheriff Derek O’Carroll found him guilty of a charge under the Communications Act that he posted a video on social media and YouTube which was grossly offensive because it was ‘anti-semitic and racist in nature’ and was aggravated by religious prejudice.



Sheriff O’Carroll told the court he did not believe Meechan had made the video only to annoy his girlfriend and ruled it was anti-Semitic.

New makeshift migrant camp in Kent sees its first arrivals

He also said he believed Meechan, who was supported at court by far-right activist Tommy Robinson, left video on YouTube to drive traffic to other material he had on there.

He added: ‘In my view it is a reasonable conclusion that the video is grossly offensive.

‘The description of the video as humourous is no magic wand. This court has taken the freedom of expression into consideration.But the right to freedom of expression also comes with responsibility.

‘The accused is quite obviously an intelligent and articulate man. The accused knew that the material was offensive and knew why it was offensive.

BAME community will 'suffer again' in second wave

‘Despite that the accused made a video containing anti-Semitic content and he would have known it was grossly offensive to many Jewish people.’

Ross Brown, defending, said the material had been leaked and gone ‘viral’ but Police Scotland then wrongly pursued Meechan despite his later videos attempting to ‘set the record straight’.

He said: ‘The purpose was to annoy his girlfriend but there was no evidence that he intended to cause fear or alarm.

He has been found guilty (Picture: SWNS.com)

Mr Brown told the court it was wrong to focus on the phrase ‘gas the Jews’ when it had been taken out of context of the whole video. (Picture: SWNS.com)

‘His girlfriend testified that Mr Meechan had never made known to her any any anti-Semitic views whatsoever.

‘The accused possesses both tolerant and liberal views. His girlfriend is in no doubt it was an example of his sense of humour.’

Wind and rain set to bring last days of summer to a chilly end

Mr Brown told the court it was wrong to focus on the phrase ‘gas the Jews’ when it had been taken out of context of the whole video.

He said famous Jewish comedian David Baddiel had even voiced his support for Meechan and asked for him to walk free.

Prosecutors had earlier asked for Meechan to be convicted and branded the video ‘an odious criminal act that was dressed up to look like a joke.’

The depute fiscal added: ‘He is a highly intelligent and articulate individual, we are not dealing with some callow youth who is inexperienced with what is going on in the world.

‘The Crown contention is that the inclusion of the dog is an attempt to muddy the waters around him making, producing and posting the video.



‘He says that he knows the context of the video but in a criminal court in Scotland he does not decide the context of anything, the court decides the context.’

He will be sentenced at Airdrie Sheriff Court later today.