Laura Davis
Laura Davis, a male who identifies as a transgender woman was convicted on 1 December 2023 at Westminster magistrates court in London of having caused racially, religiously aggravated harassment, alarm or distress by words or writing.
Davis, 21, was charged after being observed waving a placard saying “Israel burn in hell” at a rally in central London on 28 Oct 2023. It was claimed in court that the placard had been “picked up from a bench” and Davis did not understand it because it was written in English. Luckily, Davis’ English was good enough to choose a very Anglicised name such as “Laura Davis” though.
The chairman of the magistrates’ bench, Nicholas Tarry, told Davis the message on the placard “is not an appropriate thing to be waving; it’s violent language about another country and it is not allowed”. After hearing that Davis had claimed asylum in the UK after having fled Saudi Arabia due to not being accepted as a transgender person, Mr Tarry told Davis “You deserve tolerance and other people do as well. You must show other people the tolerance you expect them to show you. Do you understand?”
The court ordered Davis to pay £225 comprising a £100 fine, £40 victim surcharge and £85 costs.
Andy Valentine, Dept Asst Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police, commented: “We have been clear that while the right to protest lawfully must be respected, that does not extend to actions or statements that cross the line from political speech into criminality.
“While the majority of those attending protests have done so lawfully, it is regrettable that we have seen a number of people who have turned up carrying signs or chanting in a way that they should know will cause alarm or distress to others and in particular those in our Jewish communities.
The Met press release refers to Davis as a ‘woman’ https://news.met.police.uk/news/woman-convicted-for-carrying-offensive-placard-following-pro-palestine-protest-476277 archive
Image credit: Daily Telegraph
Medi reports
Daily Telegraph https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2023/12/01/trans-refugee-antisemitic-placard-palestine-rally/ archive
ITV News https://www.itv.com/news/london/2023-12-01/refugee-fined-for-waving-placard-she-found-at-bus-stop-and-didnt-understand archive
Evening Standard https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/refugee-laura-davis-sign-protest-court-b1124231.html archive
Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-12817291/Trans-refugee-22-waved-sign-calling-Israel-burn-hell-London-pro-Palestinian-protest-fined-100-claims-didnt-understand-said.html archive