YouTuber behind Nazi dog video convicted of hate crime

  • 21/03/2018

The video above has been heavily edited to remove some content.

If you think your pet isn't capable of causing offence then think again.

A Scottish man has been convicted of a hate crime after he posted videos of his girlfriend's dog responding and raising its paw to Nazi-related content on YouTube.

In one video, Buddha the pug can be seen reacting to statements such as "gas the jews" and "sieg hail".

Appearing at Airdrie Sheriff Court near Glasgow, Mark Meechan was charged under the Communications Act for posting a video that was "anti-Semitic and racist in nature", The Telegraph reported.

The 30-year-old was originally arrested in 2017 after complaints were made about the videos.

He has, however, denied any wrongdoing - claiming he made the video to annoy 29-year-old girlfriend Suzanne Kelly.

The Telegraph reported that Sheriff Derek O'Carroll, a judge-like figure in the Scottish judicial system, felt Meechan used the video to drive traffic to other material.

"In my view it is a reasonable conclusion that the video is grossly offensive. The description of the video as humorous is no magic wand," Sheriff O'Carroll said.

He believed Meechan was intelligent, articulate and well aware of what he was doing, The Telegraph reported.

Outside court, Meechan told reporters he planned to appeal.

"I think it is a very dark day in regards to freedom of speech and freedom of expression," he said.

Meechan will be sentenced next month, and could face up to a year in jail for his crime.

Newshub.