‘Nazi salute pug’ man raises £103k for appeal

A man fined £800 for filming a pet dog giving Nazi salutes and posting the footage online has raised more than £103,000 to fund an appeal against his conviction.

Mark Meechan recorded his partner’s pug responding to statements such as “gas the Jews” and “sieg heil”, putting the clip on Youtube in April 2016.

He was found guilty of posting material that was “grossly offensive” and “anti-semitic and racist in nature”, in an offence aggravated by religious prejudice, following a trial at Airdrie Sheriff Court.

Meechan, 30, said he made the video as a joke to annoy his partner and has made comments about freedom of speech.

Following his sentencing on Monday, an online fundraiser was launched to pay the costs of an appeal, which Meechan says on the page is estimated by his lawyer to be £100,000.