Barschak charged over art attack

Comedy terrorist Aaron Barschak has appeared in court on charges of deliberately damaging a painting.

The 37-year-old was yesterday told that police were dropping all charges against him for gatecrashing Prince William's 21st birthday party at Windsor Castle.

But today he appeared at Oxford Magistrates' Court over charges that he threw red paint over a Turner Prize-nominated painting at the Modern Art Oxford.

The Rape of Creativity, by brothers Jake and Dinos Chapman, was a surreal adaptation of a piece by the Spanish master Goya.

Barschak pleaded not guilty to the charges, dating from May 30, and the case was adjourned until October 30.

Outside court, he told reporters he was "very relieved" that the Crown Prosecution advised Scotland Yard to drop any Windsor Castle charges.

He said: "We live in a very tolerant society, in any other country in the world I would probably not have got away with that."

Barschak also launched his own webpage today, thecomedyterrorist.com.

Opinion: What now for the Comedy Terrorist?

Published: 14 Jul 2003