Teacher cleared of racism charge over ‘coconut placard’

Marieha Hussain, 37, was cleared of the charges by Westminster Magistrates’ Court

• Pramod Thomas
• 14 September, 2024

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By: Pramod Thomas

A TEACHER from High Wycombe has been acquitted of a racially aggravated public order offence after carrying a placard at a pro-Palestinian protest that depicted Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman as coconuts.

Marieha Hussain, 37, was cleared of the charges by Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday (17), reported the BBC.

The placard, displayed during a rally in November last year, featured the faces of the then prime minister and home secretary superimposed onto coconuts beneath a palm tree.

The prosecution argued that the image employed the term “coconut” as a racial slur, which is often used to imply that someone is brown on the outside but white on the inside, and therefore a “race traitor.”

Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan said that the term was widely recognised as offensive and accused Hussain of crossing the line from legitimate political commentary into racial abuse. He contended that the placard, by referencing this derogatory term, was intended to insult the two politicians on the basis of race.

In her defence, Hussain rejected the notion that her placard was racist. Her legal team argued that the image was a satirical critique of government policies, not a racial insult. They described the case against her as an alarming attempt to stifle freedom of speech and peaceful protest.

In a statement read out in court, Hussain explained that her placard was a protest against what she saw as harmful policies affecting minority and vulnerable groups, particularly those supported by the home secretary and prime minister at the time.

The defence also pointed to another side of the placard, which portrayed Suella Braverman as “Cruella Braverman,” a reference to the fictional character Cruella de Vil. Hussain expressed her disbelief that her placard could be interpreted as hateful, insisting it was a form of political satire rather than a message of racial malice.

Her lawyer, Rajiv Menon KC, strongly criticised the decision to prosecute her, arguing that it was difficult to comprehend why someone like Hussain, a woman with no history of racist behaviour, was being charged for such an offence.

He contrasted her situation with that of public figures such as Braverman, Nigel Farage, and Tommy Robinson, who have made divisive and inflammatory statements without facing similar legal consequences.

Menon praised Hussain’s character, stressing that she had no intention of causing racial harm. He described the placard as a creative expression of political criticism aimed at holding public figures accountable for their actions and policies, not an attempt to perpetuate racial hatred.

The trial, which lasted two days, concluded with District Judge Vanessa Lloyd ruling that the placard was an example of political satire. The judge said that the prosecution had failed to demonstrate beyond a reasonable doubt that the placard was intended to be abusive or that Hussain was aware it could be perceived as such.

According to the report, a group of demonstrators staged a rally outside the court to show solidarity with Hussain following the verdict.