Priti Patel: Two men admit sharing racist video aimed at home secretary
- Published
The two men were charged following complaints about the video targeted at Home Secretary Priti Patel
Two men have admitted sharing a racist Snapchat video targeted at Home Secretary Priti Patel.
Jake Henderson, 30, from Retford, Nottinghamshire posted a video using a racially abusive word to describe Ms Patel after a Covid briefing.
It was widely shared online including by Robert Cumming, 26, from Doncaster.
Both admitted sending a grossly offensive message by a public communication network at Mansfield Magistrates' Court.
The pair are due to be sentenced at the same court on 12 August.
'Motivated by hostility'
The 50-second video, which was posted in January, was played in court, where Henderson can be heard saying: "As a white man, I won't be listening to people of colour."
Cumming, then shared it along with the caption, "Haters gonna be hating" and four laughing emojis.
Prosecutor Daniel Church said the video was "motivated by hostility towards members of racial groups".
The court was told the video was recovered by police from the phone of Henderson's partner.
Mr Church said a "number of people were distressed by the racist sentiment" of the video, sparking complaints to police.
One member of the public had said she feared the video could "incite racial hatred".
She said in a statement: "People have the right to feel their own feelings but he didn't have the right to show his feelings in this way."
A Rotherham Borough councillor also said the video had "upset" her.
She said: "The comments are very extreme and were not made in a joking manner.
"They were not off-hand racist comments - it was an ideological view."
Henderson and Cumming were granted unconditional bail.
Follow BBC East Midlands on Facebook, external, Twitter, external, or Instagram, external. Send your story ideas to eastmidsnews@bbc.co.uk, external.