UK man convicted of hate crime for Nazi-salute dog video

Published April 23, 2018

A Scottish man who filmed a dog appearing to give Nazi salutes has been convicted of a hate crime and fined.

Mark Meechan filmed his girlfriend's pug responding to phrases such as "sieg heil" by raising its paw, and posted the footage on YouTube in 2016.

Meechan said the stunt was meant as a joke, but he was convicted last month of posting "grossly offensive" material.

On Monday, a judge ordered Meechan to pay an 800 pound ($1,200) fine. Sheriff Derek O'Carroll said the video "contained menacing, anti-Semitic and racist material." He said the dog was filmed responding to the phrase "gas the Jews," which was repeated 23 times in the video.

Meechan said his conviction set a "really dangerous precedent" for free speech and he would appeal.

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