This man angrily walking into a courtroom has been turned into a meme

3 April 2019, 12:55

By Jazmin Duribe

Has this meme gone too far?

Whether it's ridiculously good-looking dads providing the "hot dad meme"or the wild Avengers: Endgame theory that sees Ant-Man go up Thanos' butt (don't even ask...), anything can be subjected to the meme treatment. So it comes as no surprise that the internet is losing it over this man walking into a courtroom. But is it problematic?

Jawad Bendaoud – dubbed the Daesh landlord – was accused of housing two jihadists, Abdelhamid Abaaoud and Chakib Akrouh, in his apartment in 2015. Both had links to ISIS and were involved in terror attacks in Saint-Denis and Paris, France, that killed 130 people in 2015.

Jawad denied knowing they were involved, simply believing he was doing the guys a favour. He was cleared of knowing the identity of the men at a trial in 2018, however, the decision was appealed by prosecutors. According to France 24, Jawad was planning on writing a book about the whole ordeal after claiming it ruined his life.

Eventually he was sentenced to four years in prison on Friday (March 29), but from the time he was arrested Jawad has maintained his innocence. As a result the Belgian national became a social media sensation in France and his original live arrest became a meme.

Whilst the story behind this meme isn't quite as amusing, now his latest court appearance – which was broadcast on French channel France 2 – has become a meme nonetheless.

The footage showed him puffing out his chest as he entered the courtroom in a tracksuit, before giving everyone a mean death stare, and his expression has taken the internet by storm.

Now, some might deem this meme problematic because of the story behind it. At the end of the day, he has been convicted of a very serious crime and making light of a situation which had a tragic end is no laughing matter. However, a lot of people don't know the origin of the meme and aren't laughing at the crime he has committed merely his expression.

What do you think of this meme? Tweet us @popbuzz and let us know!