Comedian Reginald D Hunter prosecuted over ‘anti-Semitic messages'
Reginald D Hunter, the American comedian, is being prosecuted over alleged anti-Semitic social media posts, a court has heard.
The stand-up is accused of three counts of sending an offensive communication on three different occasions – on Aug 24, Sept 10 and Sept 11 last year – to Heidi Bachram on X.
He was due to appear at Westminster magistrates' court on Friday, but in his absence Tan Ikram, the deputy chief magistrate, issued a warrant for him to attend court on July 7.
Donal Lawler, prosecuting, told the court that Hunter was a 'well-known comedian' who was being privately prosecuted by the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
It is alleged Hunter sent a computer-generated sexual image to Ms Bachram in August last year, with the charges claiming it was 'grossly offensive'.
On Sept 10, he is said to have tweeted Ms Bachram: 'THIS is why I HATE these people and am committed to their destruction not because JEW hatred Not even because they are European Nazis pretending to be JEWS Because of all the lying. Mama HATED liars and bequeathed that hatred to ALL of her children.'
The following day, it is alleged he sent another message saying: 'Hey sugar. I don't hate you for being an agent of evil. Not new Not even uncommon. You being a liar a persistent liar KNOWING the truth, is why I will see you and your kind ended, even if it costs me EVERYTHING. You are not even a JEW. Run tell that.'
Mr Hunter, who regularly tours the UK, has appeared on the comedy panel shows Never Mind The Buzzcocks, Have I Got News For You and 8 Out of 10 Cats.
Mr Lawler told the court on Friday that the comedian was due to begin a tour of England and Wales.
The prosecutor said Hunter was scheduled to do a gig in London on July 6, adding that his legal team may be able to serve him his court summons in person at the venue on that date.
The Campaign Against Antisemitism describes itself as an organisation of volunteers which works to 'expose and counter anti-Semitism through education and zero-tolerance enforcement of the law'.
Stephen Silverman, the group's director of investigations and enforcement, said: 'This is one of a number of private prosecutions that we are bringing, and there will be more to say on the case in due course.'
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