Count Dankula: Free speech, censorship, and THAT pug Nazi salute (VIDEO)
The man who filmed his pug doing a Nazi salute while using anti-Semitic language has gone to Whitehall to march for freedom of speech. Mark Meechan – also known as Count Dankula – narrowly avoided prison over the hate crime.
Meechan visited London at the weekend for the Day for Freedom rally in Whitehall, appearing alongside right-wing figures including Tommy Robinson and Milo Yiannopoulos.
“I think as long as we keep the momentum going with the freedom of speech argument then it’ll make more people realize that we shouldn't give the government any kind of control of laws,” he told RT’s Butchy Davy.
The 30-year-old found himself charged with a hate crime after posting a video of Buddha the pug responding to phrases such as “gas the Jews” and “Sieg Heil.” He was found guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court last month of committing a hate crime.
Meechan found himself charged with a hate crime after posting a video of Buddha the pug responding to phrases such as “gas the Jews” and “Sieg Heil.” He was found guilty at Airdrie Sheriff Court last month of committing a hate crime.
He denied any wrongdoing and said he made the video – which got more than three million views on YouTube – to annoy his girlfriend. The case stirred a massive debate on the right to freedom of speech in the UK.
READ MORE: Nazi saluting pug trainer ‘Count Dankula’ fined for online video
High-profile figures, including comedian Ricky Gervais, took to Meechan’s defense, saying: “A man has been convicted in a UK court of making a joke that was deemed ‘grossly offensive.’ If you don’t believe in a person’s right to say things that you might find ‘grossly offensive,’ then you don’t believe in Freedom of Speech.”
Comedian, and one-time RT employee, Jonathan Pie watered down claims of the Dankula video being “grossly offensive,” arguing it was “just a joke.”
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