A private prosecution against American comedian Reginald D. Hunter, brought over alleged antisemitic social media posts, has been thrown out by a judge who branded it an 'abusive' attempt to 'cancel' the performer.
Summons Dismissed as 'Abusive' by Judge
District Judge Michael Snow quashed the court summons at Westminster Magistrates' Court on 23 December 2025. The case had been brought by the Campaign Against Antisemitism (CAA) charity, which accused Hunter of sending grossly offensive messages to a Jewish woman, Heidi Bachram, on the social media platform X in August and September 2024.
Judge Snow ruled that the prosecution's motive was not to pursue justice but to 'have him cancelled'. He stated the CAA had demonstrated a 'misleading and partial' approach and a 'wilful, repeated, failure' to meet its disclosure obligations. 'I have no doubt that the prosecution is abusive,' Judge Snow said in his ruling.
The Alleged Messages and Context
The CAA had prosecuted under the Communications Act 2003, alleging Hunter sent a computer-generated sexual image on 24 August and followed with two text posts in September. The messages contained strongly worded criticisms, with Hunter referring to 'European Nazis pretending to be Jews' and accusing Bachram of being a 'persistent liar'.
However, Judge Snow noted the prosecution's summary 'misled' him by not revealing the extent of Bachram's own tweets about Hunter prior to his posts. Between 15 August and 11 September 2024, Bachram had posted multiple times suggesting Hunter was antisemitic. After news he would not attend a Manchester comedy festival, she wrote: 'The second largest Jewish community in the UK is in Manchester. It’s entirely right that they should not have to deal with Reginald D Hunter coming to town.'
The judge concluded Hunter's comments were a 'response to attempts that were being made to have him "cancelled"' rather than being directed solely at Bachram's faith.
Broader Implications for Free Speech and 'Cancel Culture'
This ruling highlights the legal system's role in adjudicating disputes arising from online discourse and the contentious issue of 'cancel culture'. Judge Snow was explicit in his criticism, stating the CAA was 'seeking to use the criminal justice system... for improper reasons.'
Reginald D. Hunter, known for appearances on shows like 8 Out of 10 Cats and Live at the Apollo, was last in court in July on a separate matter. The quashing of this case brings a definitive end to this private prosecution, with the judge's strong wording likely to influence future similar actions brought by campaign groups.
