A pro-Palestine activist was acquitted of criminal damage charges after spraying slogans on a statue of Sir Winston Churchill in London’s Parliament Square. Olax Outis, 39, also known by the name Caspar San Giorgi, faced allegations that his actions caused more than £7,000 in damage.

Outis climbed onto the Churchill statue wearing a boiler suit emblazoned with the words “I support Palestine Action” and sprayed phrases including one labeling Churchill a “Zionist war criminal.” He stood trial at Southwark Crown Court, where he argued that his actions were a form of political expression aimed at sending a message to Parliament.

During the proceedings, Outis maintained that the paint he used was washable and did not result in any lasting damage to the statue. The jury ultimately accepted his account and found him not guilty of criminal damage.

The case centered on the intersection of protest rights and property protection, highlighting tensions surrounding public demonstrations and the preservation of historical monuments. Outis’s defense emphasized the political motives behind the act rather than any intent to cause permanent harm.

The ruling underlines the challenges courts face in balancing freedom of speech with safeguarding public property, particularly in politically charged contexts. The decision drew attention to ongoing debates over activism related to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and the role of public spaces in political discourse.