A trial is underway for an activist accused of defacing a statue of Winston Churchill with graffiti that branded the British wartime leader a “Zionist war criminal.” Casbar San Giorgi, 39, faces a charge of criminal damage for allegedly spray-painting the monument in Parliament Square, Westminster.
The incident occurred around 4 a.m. on February 27, when the bronze statue of Britain’s Second World War prime minister was spray-painted with messages including ‘Free Palestine,’ ‘Globalise the intifada,’ and ‘Stop the genocide.’ The plinth beneath the statue was also defaced.
Giorgi, a Dutch national with no fixed address in Britain, is accused of scaling the 20-foot-high sculpture. Prosecutors stated that he was wearing a black overcoat with a red boiler suit underneath, bearing the words ‘I support Palestine Action.’
A heritage warden for the Greater London Authority reportedly spotted Giorgi during a patrol and approached him, instructing him to stop. The defendant allegedly told the warden he was protesting and should call the police. Officers arrived shortly after and arrested Giorgi on suspicion of criminal damage.
Specialized repair work, requiring elevated platforms and police barriers, began two days later and lasted for two days. The estimated cost of the damage exceeds £7,000.
During the trial at Southwark Crown Court, prosecutor Peter Ratliff informed the jury that the case’s focus is on the evidence presented, not on the defendant’s views regarding Palestine or Israel. Ratliff stated that concerns about events in Gaza or related topics do not constitute a defense.
Giorgi denies the single charge of criminal damage. The trial continues before Recorder Mukul Chawla KC.
