View source for Mark Meechan

{{Infobox person
| name          = Mark Meechan
| image         = Count Dankula live interview still.png
| image_size    = 240
| alt           = 
| caption       = Meechan in an interview in December 2017
| birth_name    = 
| birth_date    = 1988<ref>{{cite web|title=  Man who taught dog Nazi salute found guilty of hate crime 
 |author= Sophie Evans |date = 2018-03-20|url=https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/uk-world-news/man-who-taught-dog-nazi-14436312|work= [[Coventry Telegraph]]}}</ref>
| birth_place   = 
| death_date    = <!-- {{Death date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|YYYY|MM|DD}} (DEATH date then BIRTH date)  -->
| death_place   = 
| nationality   = Scottish
| other_names   = 
| occupation    = YouTuber
| years_active  = 
| known_for     = Conviction under the [[Communications Act 2003]]
| notable_works = 
}}
'''Mark Meechan''' is a [[Scottish people|Scottish]] [[YouTube]] content creator.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2018/03/20/youtube-user-convicted-hate-crime-pet-dogs-nazi-salutes/|title=YouTube user convicted of hate crime over pet dog's 'Nazi salutes'|last=Cramb|first=Auslan|date=2018-03-20|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> Working under the name '''Count Dankula''', Meechan received considerable press coverage when he posted a video of his girlfriend's pug performing a [[Nazi salute]].<ref name=":4" /><ref name=":0">{{Cite news|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/09/12/hate-crime-trial-youtube-user-video-dog-taught-do-nazi-salute/|title=Hate crime trial of YouTube user over video of dog 'taught to do Nazi salute'|last=Reporters|first=Telegraph|date=2017-09-12|work=The Telegraph|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en-GB|issn=0307-1235}}</ref> The video subsequently resulted in Meechan being arrested and convicted of committing a hate crime under the [[Communications Act 2003|2003 UK Communications Act]] in March 2018, an outcome which in turn generated significant controversy and discussions about free speech.<ref name=":1">{{Cite news|url=http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-glasgow-west-43478925|title=Man guilty of hate crime over 'Nazi pug'|date=2018-03-20|work=BBC News|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en-GB}}</ref><ref name=":3" />

== Controversy ==
In April 2016 Meechan posted a video of his girlfriend's pet pug Buddha titled "M8 Yer Dugs A Nazi". He says at the start of the video "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."<ref name=":0"/> In the video, the dog is seen preforming a Nazi salute (when prompted by the command "Sieg Heil"), watching a speech by [[Adolf Hitler]], and reacting to the phrase "Gas the Jews" with enthusiasm.<ref name=":4">{{Cite news|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/the-intersect/wp/2017/09/12/this-video-showed-a-nazi-saluting-dog-was-posting-it-on-youtube-a-hate-crime/|title=This video showed a Nazi-saluting dog. Was posting it on YouTube a hate crime?|last=Jr|first=Cleve R. Wootson|date=2017-09-12|work=Washington Post|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en-US|issn=0190-8286}}</ref><ref name=":0" /> Meechan claimed that the video was originally only intended to be seen by friends, but the clip went viral and garnered over 3 million views on YouTube.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/youtuber-count-dankula-found-guilty-of-hate-crime-for-teaching-pet-pug-nazi-salute-a3794926.html|title=YouTuber found guilty of hate crime for teaching pet pug 'Nazi salute'|work=Evening Standard|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en-GB}}</ref> Meechan was subsequently arrested on suspicion that the video could be used to inspire violence against a religious group. On 19 March 2018 Meechan was convicted of committing a hate crime and with being "grossly offensive" by the Airdrie Sheriff Court.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/news/crime/man-convicted-hate-crime-video-dog-giving-nazi-salute-article-1.3889730|title=Man convicted of hate crime for video of dog giving Nazi salute|work=NY Daily News|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1" /> Meechan's conviction subsequently generated controversy concerning the issue of free speech, and multiple media outlets reported that British comedian [[Ricky Gervais]] had made comments supporting Meechan.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.dailydot.com/upstream/youtuber-count-dankula-hate-speech-nazi-pug/|title=YouTuber Count Dankula found guilty of hate speech for 'Nazi salute' pug video|date=2018-03-20|access-date=2018-03-24|language=en-US}}</ref><ref name=":2" />

==See also==
*[[Jackie (dog)]] – Dalmatian taught by its owner to do Nazi salutes. The owner was investigated by Nazi authorities but charges were dropped for lack of evidence.

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:British YouTubers]]
[[Category:People convicted of hate crimes]]
[[Category:Antisemitism in Scotland]]