Sallahudin Albritani, born Desmond McHale, was arrested during an anti-austerity demonstration (Picture: SWNS)

A convert to Islam who made monkey chants at an Asian policeman march claimed he couldn’t be racist because he is Muslim.

Sallahudin Albritani, born Desmond McHale, was arrested during an anti-austerity demonstration in Trafalgar Square that turned violent after he hurled insults and threw missiles at police.

Get out now: EU leader tells Britain it must invoke Article 50 on TuesdayAlbritani, 26, did not turn up to the trial and was convicted in his absence of three charges, including two counts of using threatening words or behaviour to cause distress or alarm and one count of racially aggravated harassment and distress through words.



These insults were used during the Million Mass March on November 5 last year as police and demonstrators clashed in central London.


Marching against government austerity cuts was only supposed to last three hours through Trafalgar Square, Westminster and Whitehall, but by 10pm the protest had descended into violence.

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As riot police tried to disperse the crowd Albritani launched his racist attack on the officer.

Giving evidence at the trial at Westminster Magistrates’ Court PC Pardeep Gosal told the court he was racially assaulted by the defendant as officers were attacked with fireworks, flares and bottles.

William Marshall, prosecuting, said: ‘You can see from the video he was making monkey chants and movements to mimic a monkey and w***** signs. He can also he heard shouting ‘f****** Paki c***’.

Racist messages appear near school telling Poles to ‘go home’ following Brexit’The March was only supposed to last three hours but when the crowd would not disperse they became violent.’

The arresting officer also told the court that Albritani claimed he could not be racist because he is a Muslim.

PC William Burn said: ‘We were aware the march was due to end at 9pm, some time at 10pm is was still there and we were then deployed to the north of Trafalgar Square.

‘My unit was asked to try and disperse a crowd down Charing Cross road when a call came through that a male had been making monkey gestures to to an Asian officer.

‘My unit went in to retrieve him and arrest him for racially aggregated public order offences.

‘He was very aggressive, throwing all sorts of objects. During the march officers were getting punched and kicked, fireworks, bottles and flares were thrown. They were coming right up against us. It was a very aggressive crowd.

‘When he was cautioned he replied “I’m Muslim, how can I buy racist?”‘

It is thought Albritani, who gave his last address as being in Eastbourne, East Sussex, but was born in Kingston, west London, has up to 16 aliases and converted to Islam in his 20s.

He was found guilty by magistrates of all three charges and a bench warrant for his arrest was issued as he did not appear at court.

Albritani will be sentenced after being arrested and brought back before the court.