Animal rights activists sentenced for Buckingham Palace fountain protest

LONDON

A UK judge on Oct. 18 criticized animal rights activists who poured red dye into a marble fountain outside Buckingham Palace, causing thousands of pounds' worth of damage.

The five protesters were convicted of causing 7,080 pounds ($9,234) of damage to the Queen Victoria Memorial water feature in central London in August 2021.

Prosecutors said the dye turned the water red to "create the impression of a bloodbath," staining the stonework. Cleaning took 64 hours, they added.

Judge Gregory Perrins told the protesters they "displayed a high degree of arrogance that you were in the right, that your views were all that mattered and that the consequences of your actions were a price worth paying for the promotion of your cause."

The targeting of a "culturally significant monument" was designed to ensure "maximum publication" for their cause, he added.

One of those convicted, Christopher Bennett, 33, was handed an 18-month prison sentence, to run concurrently with another he is serving for causing a public nuisance.

The other four were given 18-month jail sentences, suspended for two years, meaning they risk being jailed if they offend during that time. They were also ordered to pay compensation.

One of the four, Louis McKechnie, was described as a "seasoned protester." The judge warned him that he would face a "severe" jail term if he re-offended.