A man faces criminal charges for defacing the iconic statue of Sir Winston Churchill in Parliament Square with graffiti. The incident occurred in the early hours of Friday, with messages like 'Never again is Now', 'Free Palestine', and 'Globalise the Intifada' spray-painted on the statue of the former prime minister. Caspar San Giorgio, 38, who has no fixed address, appeared in court via video link but did not confirm his identity. The case was postponed to Monday to ensure a Dutch interpreter is available. This follows a December announcement by the Met and Greater Manchester Police that using 'globalise the intifada' could lead to arrest. The Churchill statue has a history of vandalism, including a 2020 incident where it was graffitied with accusations of racism during a Black Lives Matter protest. An environmental activist was previously fined over £1,500 for painting 'racist' on the statue's base during a climate protest. The 12ft monument, unveiled in 1973 by Lady Churchill, has faced multiple acts of defacement over the years.
