Mark Meechan

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?

[15] In April 2016, Meechan posted a video on YouTube of his girlfriend's pet pug Buddha titled "M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi".

"[8] 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),[17] and responds immediately when Meechan asks if he wants to "gas the Jews".

[9][19][22][23] 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.

[32] 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.

"[32] 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.

[33][34][35][36] 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".

"[38] Other views, included those of Rabbi Abraham Cooper, associate dean of the Simon Wiesenthal Centre, who stated, "If I were the judge, I would sentence the young man to meet with aging Holocaust survivors and UK World War II war heroes to learn why the Nazi Seig should never be a laughing matter", but he also stated he did not believe the offence was deserving jail time.

[47] These figures include General Butt Naked, Ned Kelly, Mad Jack Churchill, GG Allin, Buster Keaton, Jim Jones, Ricardo López, Purple Aki and Marvin Heemeyer among others.

[49][50][51] 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.

[55] 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.