Jury Acquits Pro-Palestinian Activist Over Churchill Statue Vandalism

Pro-Palestinian activist Olax Outis, also known as Caspar San Giorgio, was acquitted by a Southwark Crown Court jury of criminal damage for spray-painting a Winston Churchill statue in Parliament Square with slogans like “Stop the Genocide” and “Free Palestine”. Arriving from the Netherlands on 27 February, Outis spent six months in custody before the trial and told jurors the paint could be easily removed, framing the act as a political message to the UK parliament.

The verdict has reignited discussion about whether heightened “Palestine hysteria” is affecting jury impartiality, especially after earlier cases involving Palestine Action, now a proscribed terrorist group, where lawyer Rajiv Menon faced contempt charges for reminding jurors of their right to acquit. Charlotte Head, a PA activist, was initially cleared but later convicted on retrial, illustrating the contentious legal landscape surrounding anti-Israel protests.

The author stresses that juries represent societal conscience and should be protected from interrogation about their reasoning, even when the public disagrees with the outcome. Upholding this principle, the piece argues, is preferable to shifting such decisions to judges.