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Churchill statue ‘vandal’ tells court he is proud of pro-Palestine protest
Olax Outis, who is also known as Caspar San Giorgi, climbed on to the statue in Parliament Square, central London
Olax Outis, who is also known as Caspar San Giorgi, climbed on to the statue in Parliament Square, central London, wearing a red boiler suit emblazoned with the words “I support Palestine Action”.
He is 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”, and calling for former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer to stand trial for war crimes.
Giving evidence, San Giorgi, 39, said he did not consider his actions to be either criminal or have caused damage to the statue and its plinth.
He told Southwark Crown Court: “I don’t really care about the financials involved – it’s a non-issue for me. It was never my intention to cause much financial damage or anything.
“It was about a message to Parliament which I have delivered.”
Representing himself in court, San Giorgi told jurors: “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 judgment.”
The court has heard San Giorgi went to Parliament Square just before 4am on February 27, 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.
San Giorgi said one of the phrases he wrote translated as “the Hague sends their regards”, and was intended as a message to Sir Keir and Parliament about Britain’s actions towards Gaza and Palestine.
“I’m proud to be a citizen of The Hague,” said San Giorgi, telling the court he felt a responsibility to promote principles of “peace and justice”.
“If I had a larger canvas and more time, I would have written ‘if Keir Starmer doesn’t come to The Hague, The Hague will come for him’,” he said.
“My wish is to see him on trial in The Hague.”
San Giorgi was seen painting the statue by a heritage warden for the Greater London Authority (GLA), who alerted police.
When officers arrived, San Giorgi said he had run out of paint and he “wanted to be arrested”.
He told jurors he was carrying a container with diluted acid, but said this was a substance used in the manufacture of chocolate and cheese.
San Giorgi said he believed that since the paint could be washed off the statue he did no damage, and his actions could not be criminal as he was “preventing a crime” with his protest.
It is alleged his actions ran up a £7,000 bill, including for the hire of police barriers, mechanical elevated work platforms for two days, specialised restoration, and emergency call-out.
The trial continues.
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