Vandal who desecrated Churchill monument tells court he is proud of 'defending Palestine'

A pro-Palestinian activist who defaced a statue of Winston Churchill in London told a court he is not worried about a possible conviction, as he wanted his protest to be heard. 38-year-old Olax Outis sprayed inscriptions including 'Churchill is a Zionist criminal' on the monument, causing £7,000 in damage. The trial is taking place at Southwark Crown Court.

A pro-Palestinian activist who defaced a statue of Winston Churchill on Parliament Square in London told jurors he is not worried about a possible guilty verdict, as he simply wanted his protest to be heard. 38-year-old Olax Outis, also known as Caspar San Giorgio, was arrested in February 2026 after spraying the monument with red aerosol paint, including the inscriptions 'Stop the genocide', 'Free Palestine', 'Churchill is a Zionist criminal', and others. The damage is estimated at £7,000. The trial is taking place at Southwark Crown Court in London. San Giorgio stated he is proud to have spoken out about injustice. He arrived at the square with cans of paint and a ladder, donned a red jumpsuit with the inscription 'I support actions in defense of Palestine', and began applying graffiti. A monument protection officer noticed him and called the police. Upon arrest, San Giorgio said he wanted to be arrested. The trial continues.