• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy
Spotted News
  • News
  • Politics
  • Entertainment
  • Opinion
  • Lottery
  • More
    • Gaming
    • Videos
    • Property
    • Business
    • Sport
    • Animals & Wildlife
No Result
View All Result
Spotted News
No Result
View All Result

Home » Politics » Sunak and Braverman ‘coconut’ placard sparks racial abuse trial for pro-Palestinian protester

Sunak and Braverman ‘coconut’ placard sparks racial abuse trial for pro-Palestinian protester

Warning: This article contains language some may find offensive.

Joe Connor by Joe Connor
September 13, 2024
in News, Politics
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

A woman who held a placard at a pro-Palestinian protest depicting former prime minister Rishi Sunak and ex-home secretary Suella Braverman has been accused of using “racially abusive” imagery, Westminster Magistrates’ Court heard on Thursday.

Marieha Hussain, 37, from High Wycombe, has pleaded not guilty to a racially aggravated public order offence over the placard, which allegedly showed Sunak and Braverman as coconuts. The placard was displayed during a protest on 11 November, as tensions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict heightened.

Prosecutor Jonathan Bryan told the court that the term “coconut” is widely recognised as a racial slur. He explained, “It implies that someone may be ‘brown on the outside but white on the inside,’ essentially accusing them of being a race traitor.” Bryan argued that Hussain had crossed the line from political expression into racial insult, adding that the placard was likely to have caused “harassment, alarm, and distress” to those who saw it.

ADVERTISEMENT

As the trial began, around 40 pro-Palestinian demonstrators gathered outside the court in support of Hussain. The image of the placard, which was shown in court, featured cut-out pictures of Sunak and Braverman alongside coconuts under a tree.

Hussain’s defence, led by Rajiv Menon KC, countered that the placard was a form of political criticism, not a racial attack. Menon argued that the placard was aimed at condemning the politicians’ support for policies Hussain deemed racist, including Braverman’s rhetoric on immigration and the Rwanda deportation policy. “What she is saying is that Suella Braverman, as home secretary, was promoting a racist political agenda, and the prime minister was either complicit or inactive in addressing it,” Menon stated.

You might also like

Watch: Labour MP blasts government over Waspi women: ‘You’re like flat-earthers’

Watch: Labour MP blasts government over Waspi women: ‘You’re like flat-earthers’

July 4, 2025
Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.

Corbyn breaks silence: new party ‘will create hope’ as Labour ‘fails to deliver change’

July 4, 2025

Marieha Hussein, pregnant & in court facing charges for holding a placard depicting Rishi Sunak & Suella Braverman as coconuts. I’m with Marieha on this, they BOTH are. I see this as nothing more than an attempt to attack people of colour. It seems the use of the word coconut 1/2 pic.twitter.com/rxAstb0eE3

— Esheru (@EsheruKwaku) September 13, 2024

The court also heard from Metropolitan Police communications manager Chris Humphreys, who explained that images are flagged to the police if their social media accounts are tagged in posts.

The image of Hussain’s placard was shared by an X (formerly Twitter) account under the username Harry’s Place, which Menon described as “a secretive political blog based in Washington DC with a focus on opposing criticism of Israel.”

Humphreys confirmed his knowledge of the blog but noted it is an “anonymous political blog.”

The trial is ongoing.

You may also like: Major supermarkets go cashless: Sainsbury’s, Asda, and Tesco limit cash options

Tags: Rishi SunakSuella Braverman
Joe Connor

Joe Connor

Former editor at The London Economic.

Latest Posts

Watch: Labour MP blasts government over Waspi women: ‘You’re like flat-earthers’
News

Watch: Labour MP blasts government over Waspi women: ‘You’re like flat-earthers’

by Joe Connor
July 4, 2025
Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana.
News

Corbyn breaks silence: new party ‘will create hope’ as Labour ‘fails to deliver change’

by Joe Connor
July 4, 2025
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Terms of Service
  • Privacy Policy

© spottednews.com All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Gaming
    • Sport
    • Animals & Wildlife
    • Property
    • Business
    • Videos
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

© spottednews.com All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • News
  • Politics
  • Opinion
  • Entertainment
  • More
    • Gaming
    • Sport
    • Animals & Wildlife
    • Property
    • Business
    • Videos
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Service
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

© spottednews.com All Rights Reserved.