Scott Russell

The (Glasgow, Scotland) Herald

GLASGOW, Scotland — An Internet prankster who allegedly released a video in which he teaches his girlfriend's dog to do a Nazi salute and react to the phrase "gas the Jews" has been arrested.

Markus Meechan was said to have trained his girlfriend's pug to raise its paw in imitation of the greeting upon hearing the words "Sieg Heil," and to jump at the phrase "gas the Jews."

Police arrested the 28-year-old after footage of the anti-Semitic stunt was viewed more than a million times on YouTube.

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The video was uploaded last month and remains on YouTube. The maker of the video says he wanted to annoy his girlfriend.

He says on the video: "I'm not a racist, by the way, I really just wanted to p... her off."

According to The Telegraph, Meechan was arrested April 28. Meechan, of Coatbridge, Scotland, was released pending further investigation after spending a night in jail.

He lost his job after the video was posted.

Police say the arrest should serve as a warning that such material will not be tolerated.

"This clip was shared online and has been viewed almost one million times," said Detective Inspector David Cockburn.

"I would ask anyone who has had the misfortune to have viewed it to think about the pain and hurt the narrative has caused a minority of people in our community.

"The clip is deeply offensive and no reasonable person can possibly find the content acceptable in today's society."

Citing a police spokeswoman, The Evening Standard reported Meechan was arrested "in relation to the alleged publication of offensive material online (improper use of electronic communications under the Communications Act 2003.)"

According to the legislation, as cited on legislation.gov.uk, "A person is guilty of an offence if he— (a) sends by means of a public electronic communications network a message or other matter that is grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character; or (b) causes any such message or matter to be so sent."

Although Meechan, who boasted he was recognized in the footage, says he is not a racist, Jewish leaders slammed the video as "sickening."

Ephraim Borowski, director of the Scottish Council of Jewish Communities, said, "To regard the meticulously planned and industrialized murder of six million people solely on the grounds of their ethnicity as a joke is outrageous, and for someone who does so to claim not to be racist, beggars belief.”

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