A man from Shropshire has been convicted of a racially aggravated offence after performing a Nazi salute directly outside the doors of the Old Bailey, London's most famous criminal court.
Benjamin Howard, of Market Drayton, was found guilty at Westminster Magistrates' Court of using threatening or abusive behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm, or distress. The incident, which was deemed racially aggravated, occurred on 3rd July last year.
The court heard how Howard approached the historic courthouse on Newgate Street and deliberately performed the gesture associated with the Nazi regime. The act was swiftly reported to the City of London Police.
Following an investigation, Howard was identified and subsequently charged. He is due to be sentenced at the same court on 5th April.
A spokesperson for the City of London Police emphasised the force's stance, stating: "We have a zero-tolerance approach to any form of hate crime in the Square Mile. There is no place for this kind of behaviour in our city, and we will always look to prosecute those who commit such offences."
The conviction serves as a stark reminder that hateful and inflammatory gestures, particularly those with deeply offensive historical connotations, will be met with the full force of the law, even outside the very building where justice is delivered.
