A Montreal neo-Nazi who called for attacking Jews and “flooding the streets with their tears” is having trouble digesting his 15-month sentence, so much so that he is asking Quebec’s highest court to have his sentence reduced.
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“The punishment imposed is excessive given the seriousness […] of the crime charged,” claims Gabriel Sohier-Chaput in his appeal filed Friday in Montreal.
Sohier-Chaput, 36, is hoping to get a better deal for his crime, committed from 2016 to 2018, when he was a prolific writer for the Daily Stormer, a website that was then popular among a branch of the American far right.
Under the pseudonym Zeiger, he attacked Jews in particular under the guise of humor, with stereotypical caricatures, photos of Adolf Hitler and categories such as “Jewish problem” and “race war”.
The Quebecer Gabriel Sohier-Chaput was a very influential neo-Nazi in North America. SCREENSHOT Screenshot
Jews targeted
“We must ensure that no social justice fighter and no Jew can be immune from shocks. “Continuous Nazism, everywhere, until all the streets are flooded with the tears of our enemies,” read the publication, which led to Sohier-Chaput being accused of inciting hatred.
The neo-Nazi was found guilty across the board and hoped to get away with a three-month prison sentence, but three weeks ago Judge Manlio Del Negro decided otherwise. Departing from the defense and Crown’s proposal, he imposed 15 months in prison followed by three years probation.
“The fact that the victims of the Holocaust and their families are mocked and tormented must be viewed as a highly reprehensible act,” the judge said, rejecting the pseudo-regret of the defendant who adheres to his racist ideology.
Conflict in Israel
Sohier-Chaput was arrested on September 22nd. He had a month to file an appeal, but the situation in the Middle East had meanwhile worsened due to a new conflict between Hamas and Israel.
This led to protests, some of which included chanting of anti-Semitic remarks. Police forces across the country have also announced increased surveillance of places of worship in recent weeks.
It is therefore a special situation to appeal this case, agreed Mr Antonio Cabral, representing Sohier-Chaput. However, he recalled that this was a “completely separate” matter from the conflict in Israel.
“We have to comply with the deadlines set by the court, we have no choice,” he explained.
Sohier-Chaput is expected to have a hearing soon to decide whether to release him pending trial.
It remains to be seen what stance the Crown will take in this case, as it was convinced in the first instance that the neo-Nazi deserved no more than three months in prison.