A Black man was found not guilty of hate crime charges for using a raccoon emoji during a dispute with a politician.

A man of African descent has been found not guilty of hate crime charges for sending a raccoon emoji to a potential Member of Parliament from the Conservative party on social media. This case has raised concerns that anti-racism laws are being used as a tool against marginalized communities.

In September 2022, a man who was 26 years old at the time was reported to the police by Ben Obese-Jecty, a person of mixed Black and white heritage, for sharing an image on X, formerly known as Twitter.

In the midst of a heated argument with the potential parliamentary representative for Huntingdon, Mr. Obese-Jecty, the individual used a clown and raccoon emoji.

The term ‘c**n’, similar to ‘coconut’, is considered an offensive term within the Black and Asian communities. It is used to refer to individuals from marginalized groups who are seen as supporting white supremacy. It insinuates that the person appears to be a person of color externally, but their beliefs and actions align with those of a white person.

After a police complaint and additional investigations, the man faced charges of making racially charged malicious statements. He appeared in Wood Green Crown Court in February, where a jury consisting mostly of white individuals found him “not guilty” on both counts after a three-day trial.

Achom and Partners law firm acted as the man’s representative. According to his solicitor, the case’s conclusion was reported to The Independent, revealing that the man was found innocent. This was due to his accidental use of the word ‘c**n’ instead of ‘clown’ while adding a playful raccoon emoji.

According to a source at The Independent, the man faced negative consequences such as losing his jobs and having his house searched as a result of being involved in a police investigation. He was also detained for 10 hours, questioned, and had his phone confiscated during the incident.

In September 2022, Mr. Obese-Jecty posted a tweet regarding the death of rapper Chris Kaba, who was fatally shot by a member of the Metropolitan Police. The officer, who was identified on Friday as Martyn Blake, is set to face trial for murder.

Mr. Obese-Jecty referred to the politicians and commentators who opposed the death of Chris Kaba as “overly emotional.”

Following some exchange with the politician, the man responded: “I reside in the district where you unsuccessfully ran for office,” along with a raccoon and clown emoji.

According to Mr. Obese-Jecty, a retired military officer, the emoji can be interpreted as a derogatory term for a person of color, specifically the offensive term “c**n,” regardless of the fact that the sender may be black.

The political figure has penned articles for The Telegraph and is a frequent contributor on GB News. He disclosed that the interaction with the man marked the 74th and 75th instances of “racial abuse” he had experienced in the year.

Author Nels Abbey, who was present at the trial to support the family, described the case as an “Emoji trial” in an interview with The Independent, referring to the lack of charges for murder, assault, or rape.

According to Mr. Abbey, author of Think Like A White Man and The Hip Hop MBA, the emoji trial exposed the British justice system’s alarming incompetence and cultural confusion, from policing to prosecution. This showed that the system is inadequate for its intended purpose.

Although the young man was found not guilty, the fact that he was arrested in a forceful manner and endured a lengthy ordeal in a police cell, followed by prosecution, suggests a possible unlawful failure of justice.

This individual almost destroyed the bright future of a talented and honorable young Black man, causing him to struggle with depression.

I was completely shocked when the young man reached out to me and shared his experience and the upcoming trial.

I couldn’t fathom the occurrence in a nation that prides itself on being free, progressive, and diverse.

The prosecutor contended that the use of the derogatory term ‘c**n’ is offensive, regardless of the user. They compared it to the use of the equally offensive term ‘n****er’, as reported by The Independent.

The man claimed during his testimony that certain terms within the Black community are not universally considered offensive. He also argued that the word “c**n” can be used as a means to make a political critique.

Mr Abbey added that the young Black man was being criticized for his anti-racist stance, which was expressed in a similar manner as commonly seen in communities that have experienced colonization. This was in response to a tweet by Obese-Jecty where he referred to politicians and commentators protesting against the killing of Chris Kaba as ‘hysterical’.

“Why are the authorities destroying their public image and depleting their resources by cooperating with this situation?”

According to Professor Kehinde Andrews, who is the director of Britain’s first undergraduate program in Black studies at Birmingham City University, there has been a rise in unjust police surveillance and legal actions related to the use of terms like “coconut” since the 2020 Black Lives Matter protests.

Ben Obese-Jecty has been asked for his response.

The Met Police representative stated that in September 2022, a report was filed regarding harmful messages sent through Twitter (now referred to as X).

A male individual in his forties stated that he received a Twitter message containing an emoticon that he interpreted as a derogatory term based on ethnicity.

In January 2023, an individual was taken into custody and subsequently granted bail. By February of the same year, the Crown Prosecution Service authorized two counts of racially motivated malicious communication accusations.

The individual appeared in court at Thames Magistrates’ Court in March 2023.

Source: independent.co.uk