a "disturbing attack on the right of freedom of expression"
A pro-Palestine supporter who held a placard at a protest depicting Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman as coconuts has been found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence.
Marieha Hussain denied the allegation that the placard was “racially abusive”, telling Westminster Magistrates’ Court it was just a “light-hearted piece of political banter”.
In November 2023, Ms Hussain held up the placard at the protest in London, which featured cut-out pictures of Sunak and Braverman placed alongside coconuts.
Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan said the term “coconut” was a “well-known racial slur which has a very clear meaning”.
He said: “You may be brown on the outside, but you’re white on the inside.
“In other words, you’re a race traitor – you’re less brown or black than you should be.”
Mr Bryan said the sign had “crossed the line between legitimate political expression” and moved into “racial insult”.
However, Ms Hussain’s barrister Rajiv Menon KC said the case was a “disturbing attack on the right of freedom of expression”, claiming his client “does not have a racist bone in her body” and was only trying to “mock and tease” politicians.
In a prepared statement read out to the court, Ms Hussain said she had attended the protest with her family.
She said she was showing her opposition to an “exceptional manifestation of hatred towards vulnerable or minority groups” and found it “astonishing it could be conceived as a message of hate”.
Ms Hussain said an image on the other side of the placard depicted Ms Braverman as “Cruella Braverman”.
District Judge Vanessa Lloyd concluded: “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.”
Responding to the not-guilty verdict, Ms Hussain said the conviction and trial had been “an agonising ordeal for my family and I”.
The former teacher said: “The laws on hate speech must serve to protect us all, but this trial shows us that these laws are being weaponised to target ethnic minorities – and in my case also crack down on pro-Palestine political dissent.
“Instead of enjoying my pregnancy, I have been vilified in the media, lost my career and [been] dragged through the court system in what can only be described as a politically motivated show trial.”
Her supporters in the public gallery clapped and cheered when she was acquitted of the charge.
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