Stickers reportedly contained slogans such as “We will be a minority in our homeland by 2066”, “Mass immigration is white genocide”, “intolerance is a virtue” and “they seek conquest not asylum.”
Right-wing British activist Sam Melia was sentenced to two years in prison in the UK on Friday for “intending to stir up racial hatred” by sharing various anti-immigration stickers stating “White Lives Matter” and “We will be a minority in our homeland by 2066.”
Free speech concerns have been raised after a Leeds man was sentenced two years in prison after being found guilty of inciting racial hatred with a library of stickers.
Sam Melia, 34, was in charge of an online collection of downloadable stickers that contained anti-immigration messages for activists of the “Hundred Handers” group.
At Leeds Crown Court last month, Melia was also found guilty of encouraging racially aggravated criminal damage because his collection was involved in multiple “stickering” incidents.
During the trial, jurors were told that members of the group would access the downloadable stickers that they could download and stick around their communities.
The prosecution argued that the stickers were intended to stir up racial hatred.
The far-right organiser claimed that they were intended to “start a conversation” and that he was unaware that the stickering would count as criminal damage.
Melia was charged in December 2022 after evidence showed he established and maintained the database of around 200 stickers.
Counter Terrorism Policing North East said that many of the stickers were racist and antisemitic in nature.
They reportedly contained slogans such as “We will be a minority in our homeland by 2066”, “Mass immigration is white genocide”, “intolerance is a virtue” and “they seek conquest not asylum.”
Melia said during the trial that it never even crossed his mind that he could be imprisoned for sharing stickers.
Melia’s wife Laura Towler reacted to the verdict on Telegram:
Melia and Towler spoke about the case outside the courtroom:
The sentence triggered outrage on social media:
?? UPDATE: Sam Melia has been given TWO YEARS in prison for sharing stickers opposing mass-immigration
Sam’s wife Laura is 8 months pregnant, and Sam will now be in prison for the birth of his second child
What a travesty of justice. Across the West, we are ruled by anti-white… https://t.co/RyPLhF0KKH pic.twitter.com/chmRkXJ3pM
— Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) March 1, 2024
These are the statements on stickers distributed by Sam Melia, for which he faces two years in prison
Do they sound hateful? Do they sound like statements that should be illegal? The judge said it didn’t matter if they were legal or true, the jury should only rule on his intent https://t.co/naKATdKEsU pic.twitter.com/gfuNtsltXU
— Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) March 1, 2024
same judge pic.twitter.com/qcEqLFMHNv
— pagliacci the hated ? (@Slatzism) March 1, 2024
Sam Melia, a father and a working man has been jailed for two years for posting stickers.
Disgusting verdict. This country makes me sick. pic.twitter.com/sKlWLZuD49
— SL (@Steve_Laws_) March 1, 2024
Elon Musk posted his trademark “!!” to highlight the case:
!!
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) March 2, 2024
Elon, Sam’s X account @SamMeliaYorks is suspended, along with his wife Laura @ThisIsLauraT
Seeing how unfair the British justice system is to people that advocate for their people, perhaps you should reconsider their suspensions and give them a chance to defend themselves.
— Keith Woods (@KeithWoodsYT) March 2, 2024
The British rose up and voted for Brexit in 2016 to stop immigration and restore national sovereignty only for the “Conservatives” to give them record immigration, new hate speech laws and the jailing of British patriots for stickers.