Mark Meechan Explained

Mark Meechan
Birth Date:19 October 1987
Birth Place:Coatbridge, Scotland
Embed:yes
Party:Scottish Libertarian Party
Otherparty:UKIP (2018–2019)
Spouse:[1] [2]
Children:2
Pseudonym:Count Dankula
Channel Direct Url:channel/UC7SeFWZYFmsm1tqWxfuOTPQ
Channel Display Name:Count Dankula
Channel Direct Url2:channel/UCRLO8HU2LWaMH6mjbQ1falQ
Channel Display Name2:Count Dankula 2 : Electric Boogaloo
Channel Direct Url3:channel/UCmitI3k480YNXEw3aJG3nlg
Channel Display Name3:Count Dankula Streams
Stats Update:29 November 2023
Occupation:YouTuber
Years Active:2015–present
Silver Button:yes
Silver Year:2018
Gold Button:yes
Gold Year:2023

Mark Meechan (in Gaelic; Scottish Gaelic pronounced as /miːkæn/) (born 19 October 1987[3]) is a Scottish YouTuber, comedian, and former candidate for the European Parliament. He uses the pseudonym Count Dankula.

Meechan received press coverage when he posted a video showing him teaching his girlfriend's dog how to raise its paw in the manner of a Nazi salute, and to react to the phrase "Do you wanna gas the Jews?"[4] [5] [6] Meechan was arrested and convicted of being "grossly offensive" under the Communications Act 2003, following a trial in March 2018. The arrest generated controversy and discussions about free speech.[7] [8] In April 2018, Meechan was fined £800.[9] [10] Meechan stated he would not pay the fine,[11] and instead donated £800 to the Glasgow Children's Hospital Charity.[12] In March 2019, the money was seized from his bank account by an arrestment order.

Arrest

In April 2016, Meechan posted a video on YouTube of his girlfriend's pet pug Buddha titled "M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi".[13] At the start of the video, he says: "My girlfriend is always ranting and raving about how cute and adorable her wee dog is so I thought I would turn him into the least cute thing I could think of, which is a Nazi." In the video, the dog, prompted by the command "Sieg Heil", raises his right paw in the manner of a Nazi salute, watches a speech by Adolf Hitler (footage shown from the Triumph of the Will),[14] and responds immediately when Meechan asks if he wants to "gas the Jews".[15] It ends with images of Hitler and Buddha the dog depicted with a toothbrush moustache similar to Hitler's.[16]

Meechan was arrested on suspicion of breaching the Communications Act 2003.[17] On 19 March 2018, Meechan was convicted of breaching the act by Sheriff Derek O'Carroll at Airdrie Sheriff Court. The court ruled that Meechan's claim that the video was a joke intended for his girlfriend "lacked credibility" as Meechan's girlfriend did not subscribe to the YouTube channel to which the video was posted.[18] On 23 April 2018, Meechan was sentenced to a fine of £800, with no prison sentence.

Reaction

Approximately 500 people gathered in London to protest for free speech when the sentence was handed out.[19] Following Meechan's conviction, British comedians Ricky Gervais and David Baddiel made comments supporting Meechan.[20] [21] Others who opposed the prosecution included Kenan Malik, Tim Blair, Helen Dale, Douglas Murray, Jordan Peterson, Tom Walker, Shappi Khorsandi, Marc Randazza, Jonathan Turley and Stephen Fry. Index on Censorship CEO Jodie Ginsberg stated that the right to free expression must include the right to offend, "otherwise the freedom is meaningless".

Sitcom writer Graham Linehan initially condemned Meechan (however Linehan has since retracted his condemnation and apologised to Meechan).[22] Meechan responded by saying that Linehan's show Father Ted also contained Nazi-related jokes.[23] Meechan was scrutinised for embracing support from right-wing figures Alex Jones and Tommy Robinson, to which he replied: "Imagine totally abandoning protecting human rights, just because someone you don't like is defending them too. Astounding." On 6 May 2018, Meechan spoke at the "Day for Freedom" rally, organised by Robinson, which was described as far-right by news media and observers.[24] [25] [26] [27]

David Coburn, the United Kingdom Independence Party Member of the European Parliament for Scotland, released a two-page statement condemning the ruling as "an embarrassment".[28] Philip Davies, Conservative MP for Shipley, brought up Meechan's case in the House of Commons and said: "Can we have a debate about freedom of speech in this country – something this country has long held dear and is in danger of throwing away needlessly?"[29]

Meechan started a GoFundMe campaign on 24 April 2018 to raise £100,000 for an appeal and reached his goal as of 25 April.[30] In August 2018, Meechan announced that his request for an appeal had been denied by a member of the Sheriff Appeal Court, who also accused Meechan's lawyer of contempt. The letter stated that the appeal was "not arguable" due to the nature of the "deeply unpleasant offence". Meechan stated that he planned to contest the matter with the Scottish Criminal Cases Review Commission.[31] Meechan's lawyer Dorothy Bain subsequently petitioned the High Court of Justiciary to hear the case. Senior judge Lord Carloway opined that the High Court did not have the power to grant an appeal denied by the Sheriff Court.[32] In March 2019, the £800 was seized from Meechan's bank account under an arrestment order.[33]

On 17 June 2020, Meechan announced that his additional appeal to the Supreme Court was also rejected. Meechan stated his intention to bring the case to the European Court of Human Rights.[34]

BBC Scotland planned to feature Meechan in a 2019 debate programme, The Collective, and had him film two episodes. However, the network announced that these episodes would not be aired after a backlash over the announcement.[35] BBC Three produced a documentary on Meechan's case which aired in July 2019.[36] [37]

Politics

Meechan identifies politically as a libertarian.

On 16 June 2018, Meechan announced that he had joined UKIP along with fellow YouTubers Carl Benjamin and Paul Joseph Watson in what Watson describes as an attempted "soft coup".[38] [39] [40]

In April 2019, Meechan said he intended to stand for MEP on behalf of UKIP in the upcoming 2019 European Parliament election in the United Kingdom.[41] [42] He was named fourth on UKIP's list in Scotland,[43] but was not elected after UKIP won only 1.8% of the vote in Scotland.[44]

In November 2019, Meechan posted a video announcing that he had left UKIP, citing internal disputes and backstabbing within the party over their leadership as his reason for leaving.[45]

Meechan stood in the 2021 Scottish Parliament election as a candidate for the Scottish Libertarian Party, finishing fifth in Motherwell and Wishaw with 254 votes.[46] He was also first on the party's regional list for the Central Scotland region.[47]

Personal life

Meechan married in 2019.[1] His wife, Sue, gave birth to their first daughter in 2021[48] and second in 2023.[49]

Meechan announced on 24 June 2024 that he and his wife were getting a divorce.[50]

Electoral history

2021

2019

See also

Notes and References

  1. 1140345590150246400. Look how handsome @CountDankulaTV is!. Sue Hulk. SUEHULK. 16 June 2019. 10 January 2020.
  2. https://x.com/CountDankulaTV/status/1805206968988045813
  3. 1052734014581301248. It's My Birthday. Meechan. Mark. CountDankulaTV. 17 October 2018. 16 May 2019.
  4. News: Shocking video shows man training 'Hitler dog' to perform a Nazi salute. Norton. Oliver. 20 April 2016. Mirror Online. 28 April 2018.
  5. News: Video of man teaching dog Nazi salute meets outrage. 23 April 2016. Times of Israel. 28 April 2018.
  6. News: Hate crime trial of YouTube user over video of dog 'taught to do Nazi salute'. 12 September 2017. The Telegraph. 24 March 2018. 0307-1235.
  7. News: Man guilty of hate crime over 'Nazi pug'. 20 March 2018. BBC News. 24 March 2018.
  8. News: Man convicted of hate crime for video of dog giving Nazi salute. NY Daily News. 24 March 2018.
  9. News: YouTuber Count Dankula could face year in jail for Nazi dog video. 18 May 2017. Newshub. 2 July 2018.
  10. News: Man who filmed girlfriend's dog giving Nazi salutes fined £800 . Dearden . Lizzie . 23 April 2018 . The Independent. 23 April 2018.
  11. 15 November 2018 . Young Independence 2018 – Count Dankula . 15 November 2018 . Count Dankula . YouTube.
  12. Web site: Nazi dog Youtuber donates court fine to charity. HeraldScotland. 30 April 2018 . 14 December 2018.
  13. 11 April 2016 . M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi . 29 October 2019 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160511153039/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SYslEzHbpus . 11 May 2016 . Count Dankula . YouTube.
  14. News: Free speech and Nazi dogs – Comedy . 27 June 2021 . TLS.
  15. News: This video showed a Nazi-saluting dog. Was posting it on YouTube a hate crime?. Wootson. Cleve R Jr. 12 September 2017. Washington Post. 24 March 2018. 0190-8286.
  16. News: Connor. Griffith. Offensive jokes becoming criminal? Count Dankula's conviction. Keep Calm and Talk Law. 20 April 2018. 12 May 2019.
  17. News: YouTuber found guilty of hate crime for teaching pet pug 'Nazi salute'. Evening Standard. 24 March 2018.
  18. Web site: PF v Mark Meechan – Judgments & Sentences – Judiciary of Scotland. www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk. 28 April 2018. 27 April 2018. https://web.archive.org/web/20180427080018/http://www.scotland-judiciary.org.uk/8/1962/PF-v-Mark-Meechan. dead.
  19. News: Row over police filming London protest over Scots 'Nazi dog' creator conviction. Martin. Williams. The Sunday Herald. 23 April 2018. 23 April 2018.
  20. News: The 'Nazi pug': giving offence is inevitable and often necessary in a plural society . Kenan . Malik . Kenan Malik . 25 March 2018 . . 16 June 2020.
  21. News: YouTuber Count Dankula found guilty of hate speech for 'Nazi salute' pug video. 20 March 2018. 24 March 2018.
  22. Graham Linehan. My apology to Count Dankula . YouTube. October 19, 2022. October 10, 2023. en.
  23. News: Williams. Martin. How 'Nazi dog' creator Mark Meechan clashed with Father Ted writer. 24 April 2018. Herald. 27 March 2018.
  24. News: Tommy Robinson's "Day For Freedom" rally was about promoting far right ideology, not free speech. Luke. Bailey. i. 8 May 2018. 13 May 2018.
  25. News: Grafton-Green . Patrick . Scuffles break out as thousands descend on London for far-right rally . 20 November 2018 . Evening Standard . 6 May 2018.
  26. News: Wright . Mic . A snowflake crowd at the 'Day for Freedom' protest . 20 November 2018 . GQ UK . 7 May 2018.
  27. News: Strudwick . Patrick . The Drag Queen Who Sang At A Far-Right Rally Says Inciting Hatred Shouldn't Be A Crime . 20 November 2018 . BuzzFeed News . 11 May 2018 .
  28. Web site: Scots UKIP chief says 'Nazi Dog' conviction is 'a national disgrace and embarrassment'. Martin. Williams. Herald Scotland. 28 March 2018. 15 July 2020.
  29. News: Coulter. Martin. Yorkshire MP Philip Davies backs Ricky Gervais in freedom of speech row after YouTuber Count Dankula found guilty of making 'highly offensive' video. 24 April 2018. Evening Standard. 22 March 2018.
  30. News: Count Dankula GoFundMe: 'Nazi pug' man Mark Meechan raises £100,000 in bid to appeal court conviction. Martin. Coulter. Evening Standard. 26 April 2018. 28 April 2018.
  31. News: Count Dankula: Man who taught pug to do Nazi salute has appeal refused. Lizzie. Dearden. The Independent. 8 August 2018. 10 August 2018.
  32. Web site: Supreme Court appeal blocked for man in Pug Nazi salute case. BBC. 22 January 2019. 2 March 2019.
  33. News: Nazi pug man Mark Meechan hopes to stand as Ukip MEP. MacDonald. Stuart. 11 April 2019. The Times. 5 December 2019. 0140-0460.
  34. 17 June 2020. Count Dankula Vs The United Kingdom – Taking My Country To Court. 17 June 2020. Count Dankula. YouTube.
  35. News: Baynes. Chris. Man who taught girlfriend's pet pug to perform Nazi salute dropped from BBC series after backlash. 5 March 2019. The Independent. 8 March 2019.
  36. News: BBC airs documentary about the man who trained his dog to make a Nazi salute. 4 August 2019. Jewish Telegraphic Agency. 9 December 2019.
  37. Web site: Edinburgh Fringe hit back at 'Nazi Pug Man' Mark Meechan's claim he was banned from the festival. Mitchell. Hilary. 1 August 2019. Edinburgh Live. 9 December 2019.
  38. UKIP Needs You. Count Dankula. 16 June 2018. YouTube.
  39. News: Far-Right YouTube Stars Plan Takeover of UKIP. Sommer. Will. 26 June 2018. The Daily Beast.
  40. News: Ukip's new guard: web agitators threaten to swamp struggling party . Walker . Peter . 29 June 2018 . The Guardian . 16 June 2020.
  41. News: 'Nazi pug' YouTuber 'Count Dankula' says he's standing for Ukip in Euro election. Macdonald. Stuart. 10 April 2019. Daily Mirror. 18 April 2019.
  42. News: Man who trained dog to give Nazi salute says he'll stand for UKIP in Europe elections. Wharton. Jane. 11 April 2019. Metro. 18 April 2019.
  43. News: Scotland's European election candidate lists in full. 26 April 2019. Holyrood. 26 April 2019. 7 May 2019. https://web.archive.org/web/20190507193023/https://www.holyrood.com/articles/inside-politics/scotland%E2%80%99s-european-election-candidate-lists-full. dead.
  44. News: SNP increases MEPs amid Labour collapse. 27 May 2019. BBC News. 23 February 2020.
  45. 11 November 2019. Why I'm Leaving UKIP. 23 December 2019. Count Dankula. YouTube.
  46. News: Motherwell & Wishaw. BBC News. 7 May 2021. 8 May 2021.
  47. News: Scottish Parliament election 2021: Central Scotland regional candidates. BBC News. 8 May 2021.
  48. Welcome to the world wee Sadie Meechan. Born 17/3/2021 at 16:26.. Sue Hulk. SUEHULK. 1372872690361585664. 2021-03-21. en.
  49. CountDankulaTV. 1640053941298659332. Someone made a surprise early appearance.
    Meet Morag. 6lb 5oz.
    Sue is doing fine and recovering. She did amazing. Got them both home and they are both resting.. March 26, 2023. March 26, 2023.
  50. CountDankulaTV. 1805206968988045813. Well the cat is out of the bag a little but yes me and Sue are getting divorced.. June 24, 2024.

This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Mark Meechan".

Except where otherwise indicated, Everything.Explained.Today is © Copyright 2009-2024, A B Cryer, All Rights Reserved. Cookie policy.