A teacher from High Wycombe who was found not guilty of a racially aggravated public order offence after holding a sign depicting Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman as coconuts has accused the Metropolitan Police of 'inexcusable failures'. 

Marieha Hussain denied the prosecution's allegation that the sign, which she held at a pro-Palestine protest in May, was "racially abusive" and her trial at Westminster Magistrates' Court heard that she "quite obviously does not have a racist bone in her body". 

After being acquitted of the charge on September 13, Ms Hussain has now made complaints to the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and the Independent Office for Police Misconduct (IOPC).

During the trial, prosecutor Jonathan Bryan said: “Coconut is a well-known racial slur which has a very clear meaning.

“You may be brown on the outside, but you’re white on the inside. In other words, you’re a race traitor – you’re less brown or black than you should be.”

Rajiv Menon KC, defending, said the placard was “not abusive”, but a “political criticism” of then-prime minister Mr Sunak and then-home secretary Ms Braverman.

Clearing Ms Hussain, district judge Vanessa Lloyd said: “I find that it was part of the genre of political satire and, as such, the prosecution have not proved to the criminal standard that it was abusive.

“The prosecution has also not proved to the criminal standard that you were aware that your placard may be abusive.”

A statement from solicitors Gareth Peirce and Sajida Malik confirmed the complaints were made and said the Metropolitan Police and CPS “failed inexcusably in their respective responsibilities, seriously undermined the exercise of free speech and exposed Ms Hussain to irreparable harm”.

They suggested that the prosecution had gone forward "despite unsound evidence and in the face of clear contrary legal principles".

Adding: “That Ms Hussain was acquitted was a relief shared by her lawyers. That she should ever have faced trial remains, however, unfinished business."

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The solicitors also criticised the force for responding to a picture of Ms Hussain with the placard posted online by what they called an “anonymous right-wing American-based organisation with a known agenda of extreme hostility towards Palestinian campaigners”, saying the force was “actively looking” for her.

And they said the “Met Police internal emails produced by the case officer confirmed that independent expert evidence (that the use of a ‘coconut’ motif could constitute a racial slur) had been thought necessary by the CPS for any prosecution to proceed, but no such evidence was ever obtained”.

Ms Hussain told the Guardian: “It has damaged my reputation and lost me my career. They must answer for the harm they have caused not just to me but equally the right to peaceful protest.”

The CPS said a complaint has been received and it will be considering its content and responding to it.

A spokesperson said: “Our prosecutors reviewed this case carefully and concluded there was enough evidence for it to be presented to a court.

“The defendant was found not guilty and we respect the judge’s decision.”

A spokesperson for the Met Police said: “We have received a complaint via the Independent Office for Police Conduct, and this is currently being recorded and assessed.”