Protester who depicted Sunak and Braverman as coconuts found not guilty

A pro-Palestinian protester who held a placard depicting Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman as coconuts has been found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence.

Marieha Hussain, 37, denied the prosecution’s allegation that the placard was “racially abusive”, and her trial at Westminster magistrates’ court heard that she “quite obviously does not have a racist bone in her body”.

Ms Hussain was acquitted of the charge on Friday, prompting claps and cheers from supporters in the public gallery.

Speaking outside the court after the hearing, she said: “The damage done to my reputation and image can never be undone. The laws on hate speech must serve to protect us more, but this trial shows that these rules are being weaponised to target ethnic minorities.

“It goes without saying that this ordeal has been agonising for my family and I. Instead of enjoying my pregnancy, I’ve been vilified by media, I’ve lost my career, I’ve been dragged through the court system.

“Nearly a year on from the genocide in Gaza, and despite this trial, I’m more determined than ever to continue using my voice to defend Palestine.”

Clearing Ms Hussain, district judge Vanessa Lloyd said: “I find that it was part of the genre of political satire and, as such, the prosecution have not proved to the criminal standard that it was abusive.

“The prosecution has also not proved to the criminal standard that you were aware that your placard may be abusive.”

Giving evidence, Ms Hussain said the placard was a “light-hearted piece of political banter”, a way to depict something serious in “a British satirical way”.

In his closing speech, Rajiv Menon KC, defending, said: “That Marieha Hussain of all people is being prosecuted for a racially aggravated offence whilst the likes of Suella Braverman and Nigel Farage and Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – aka Tommy Robinson – and Frank Hester are seemingly free to make inflammatory and divisive statements … is, I’m afraid, incomprehensible to many people.”

Mr Menon called Ms Hussain a woman of “impeccable character”, adding: “She is a responsible and thoughtful citizen who genuinely cares about the plight of those less fortunate than her, who is prepared to exercise her democratic right to peaceful protest against injustice.

“We submit that she should not be criminalised for her satirical coconut placard. It would be a tragedy – I use that word advisedly – for her to be convicted of a racially aggravated offence when she quite obviously does not have a racist bone in her body.”