Thomas cleared over arms protest

Mark Thomas has been cleared of damaging a minibus during an arms trade protest.

The activist comic immediately attacked the decision to prosecute him in a costly two-day trail as "preposperous".

Prosecutors had claimed Thomas and three fellow protesters had scratched the roll bar of the van when they chained themselves to it, to prevent it taking BAE Systems workers to a London weapons fair.

But Stratford magistrates said it could not be proved that the defendants had caused the alleged damage in September last year.

Speaking outside the court today, Thomas told reporters: "Obviously, I'm glad that we were found not guilty.

"It's fairly preposterous that they spent this money to try to bring a case where there was no damage. I think what they wanted to do was to bring as many cases against the arms protesters as possible. I think we just got caught up in that.

"It's the arms dealers who should be prosecuted. The arms fair sells huge amounts of weapons specifically designed to take human life.''

Driver Shachar Ely had earlier told the court he was "angry and upset" by the protest, adding "I thought I was being hijacked."

And in a statement, police Inspector Paul Thornton said that when he asked who was the group's spokesperson or leader, they replied: "I am Spartacus."

Published: 14 Apr 2004