A MAN has been charged after activists defaced a statue of Sir Winston Churchill.
was scrawled across the Westminster memorial to the wartime Prime Minister reading “Stop the genocide” and “Never again is now.”
A 38-year-old has now been charged in connection with the incidentCredit: PA
The statue has been targeted by left wing demonstrators several times beforeCredit: Alamy
Caspar San Giorgio of no fixed address, was arrested shortly after 4am on Friday in connection with the vandalism, cops said.
The 38-year-old has since been charged with criminal damage in connection with the .
He was remanded and is due to appear at Highbury Corner Magistrates’ Court later this morning.
The graffiti appeared overnight on Friday on the memorial in Square.
Wardens were spotted trying to cover the graffiti with bin bags and tape.
The 12ft bronze statue – which has been in the square since 1973 – has been cordoned off while it is cleaned.
The said that officers were at Parliament Square “within two minutes”.
A Met Police spokesperson previously said: “Shortly after 0400hrs on Friday February 27 a man was seen spraying graffiti on the statue of in Parliament Square.
“The first officers were on the scene within two minutes.
“The man – who is 38 – was arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage.
In 2020, Black Lives Matter activists wrote ‘was a racist’ on the baseCredit: Alamy
It is now a criminal offence for protesters to climb on the memorialCredit: PA
“He remains in custody.”
After of the graffiti broke yesterday morning, many expressed outrage.
A Downing Street street spokesperson told The Telegraph: “It’s obviously a disgrace. It’s completely abhorrent.
“Churchill was a great Briton. This Government will always stand up for our values and the perpetrator must be held to account. We’re glad the police have made an arrest.”
The statue has been targeted by left wing demonstrators several times before.
In 2020, activists crossed out Churchill’s name and wrote “was a racist” on the base.
protesters followed suit later that year and scrawled the same graffiti on the plinth.
Trans rights demonstrators climbed on top of the sculpture in protest of the Supreme Court’s ruling on the definition of being a woman last year.
It is now a criminal offence for protesters to climb on the memorial following legislation passed last year.
The 12ft bronze statue has been in the square since 1973Credit: Alamy
Eze Chidiebere Paul
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