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Man acquitted after spray painting Churchill statue

News imagePA Media The bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London, is shown defaced with bright red spray paint. Large slogans, including "FREE PALESTINE," are visible across the front of the monument's coat. The red paint also covers the statue's hands and walking stick.PA Media
The Sir Winston Churchill statue, on Parliament Square, was spray-painted in February

A man who spray-painted slogans on to a statue of Sir Winston Churchill has been found not guilty of criminal damage.

Caspar San Giorgi, who is also known as Olax Outis, climbed on to the statue in Parliament Square on 27 February.

He was accused of causing more than £7,000 of damage by using red spray paint to cover the statue with phrases including "Stop the Genocide" and "Free Palestine", describing Churchill as a "Zionist war criminal".

San Giorgi, 39, was acquitted at Southwark Crown Court on Monday afternoon following a trial, a court official said.

During the trial, he told a jury he did not believe he had done anything criminal because he was sending a message to Parliament, and he disputed that the washable paint had actually damaged the statue.

The court previously heard that San Giorgi went to Parliament Square just before 4:00 GMT, carrying cans of spray paint and a ladder to climb the plinth.

He removed his coat to reveal a red boiler suit with the words "I support Palestine Action" on the back, and "set about defacing the statue – spraying… the words Free Palestine and red triangles on the front, and Never Again Is Now on the rear", said prosecutor Peter Ratliff.

News imagePA Media The rear of the bronze statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, London, shown defaced with red spray paint. The words "NEVER AGAIN IS NOW" are sprayed in large capital letters across the back of his coat, with additional red paint covering his shoulders, arms, and walking stick. The Elizabeth Tower (Big Ben) stands prominently in the background under an overcast sky.PA Media
San Giorgi disputed the damage caused by the paint

San Giorgi had told the jury: "Whether you convict me or not is not too much of a concern for me.

"Whether I get acquitted, deported, imprisoned for years, I can be proud of having spoken about injustice and I have accounted for my actions.

"I will accept your judgement."

San Giorgi was seen painting the statue by a heritage warden for the Greater London Authority, who alerted police.

In the immediate aftermath of the incident, a Downing Street spokesperson called the defacing of the statue "completely abhorrent", adding: "Churchill was a great Briton."

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