Court protest as student found guilty of racism

The history student drunkenly walked into Mr Reitblat’s room in a university halls of residence and launched a tirade about Israel after spotting the flag hanging on the noticeboard.

He described the country as a “nation built on terrorism” and said that “they are all suicide bombers”, the court heard.

Protesters outside Cupar Sheriff Court smeared bacon on an Israeli flag and shouted “shame”, “scandal”, and “democracy has died”.

Sheriff Charles Macnair told Donnachie he was imposing community service as a direct alternative to a prison sentence.

Mr Reitblat told an earlier trial that the flag had been given to him by his brother, who had served in the Israeli Defence Force.

He said: “Paul noticed the flag and said ‘Israel is a terrorist state’ and that the flag was a ‘terrorist symbol’. He then said I was a terrorist.

“Paul then unbuckled his trousers, put his hand down there... then wiped his hand on my flag.”

A sheriff convicted him of racism as he had “displayed malice toward Mr Reitblat because of his presumed membership of Israel”.

Samuel Colchester, 20, of Andrew Melville Hall, North Haugh, St Andrews, was also accused over the incident, but was found not proven.

Donnachie’s solicitor Patrick Campbell said: “It was never his intention to cause offence.

“He maintains that it was a political statement.”

Sheriff Charles Macnair QC ordered Donnachie to complete 150 hours community service and pay £300 compensation to Mr Reitblat. He said: “This was a racist incident. In particular the part of your behaviour which I find most serious was that you described Mr Reitblat as a terrorist because of his association with Israel.”

The University of St Andrews said Donnachie had been expelled, while Colchester was suspended for a year.