British tolerance for hatred: 'Zionist war criminal' sprayed on Churchill statue — acquitted

A London court acquitted a pro-Palestinian activist from the Netherlands who sprayed antisemitic graffiti on a statue of Winston Churchill, including the words 'Zionist war criminal'. The jury accepted his claim that he did not commit a crime but conveyed a political message, and that the paint was washable. A Downing Street spokesperson condemned the acquittal, calling it 'a disgrace'.

A London court acquitted a pro-Palestinian activist from the Netherlands, 39-year-old Oleks Otis, who vandalized the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square, Westminster. Otis sprayed red paint with the words 'Zionist war criminal' and additional slogans, including 'Stop the genocide', 'Free Palestine', and 'Global intifada', while wearing a jumpsuit of the organization 'Palestine Action'. The jury acquitted him after he argued that he did not commit a crime but conveyed a political message, and that the paint he used was washable. The damage to the statue was estimated at over £7,000. A Downing Street spokesperson condemned the acquittal: 'This is undoubtedly a disgrace. It is a completely despicable act. Churchill was a great Briton.' Otis, who belongs to a group linked to the hacking of Elbit Systems' website, threatened that his wish is to see former Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer stand trial in The Hague.