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| Olympic protest case thrown out | |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A protester who tried to extinguish the Olympic torch on its procession through London has walked free from court. | A protester who tried to extinguish the Olympic torch on its procession through London has walked free from court. |
| Martin Wyness, 50, from Hereford, set off a fire extinguisher as the torch was carried through west London. | Martin Wyness, 50, from Hereford, set off a fire extinguisher as the torch was carried through west London. |
| A protester against China's human rights record, Mr Wyness had denied causing harassment, alarm or distress. | A protester against China's human rights record, Mr Wyness had denied causing harassment, alarm or distress. |
| West London magistrates ruled there was not enough evidence to proceed after viewing footage of the incident. Mr Wyness was awarded £300 in court costs. | West London magistrates ruled there was not enough evidence to proceed after viewing footage of the incident. Mr Wyness was awarded £300 in court costs. |
| Hundreds of thousands of people lined the torch's 31-mile route on 6 April, as clashes took place between human rights activists and police. | Hundreds of thousands of people lined the torch's 31-mile route on 6 April, as clashes took place between human rights activists and police. |
| More than 2,000 police officers tried to protect the 80 torch bearers during the 10-hour relay. | More than 2,000 police officers tried to protect the 80 torch bearers during the 10-hour relay. |
| 'Propaganda extinguisher' | |
| Mr Wyness set off an extinguisher with the words "propaganda extinguisher" written on the side of it as the torch was being carried through Holland Park. | Mr Wyness set off an extinguisher with the words "propaganda extinguisher" written on the side of it as the torch was being carried through Holland Park. |
| A "white haze" filled the air after the extinguisher, which was directly aimed at the torch, was triggered, magistrates heard. | A "white haze" filled the air after the extinguisher, which was directly aimed at the torch, was triggered, magistrates heard. |
| Mr Wyness, who was wearing a yellow high-visibility jacket, was immediately detained by police. | Mr Wyness, who was wearing a yellow high-visibility jacket, was immediately detained by police. |
| Footage of the incident, which was broadcast live on television at the time, was played in court. It was just a protest symbolic of what the British people are feeling about what is happening in Tibet Martin Wyness | |
| After being arrested, Mr Wyness told cameramen: "I tried to extinguish the flame. China has no right to be doing what it's doing." | |
| District Judge Andrew Sweet said: "Having viewed the video footage and listened carefully to your argument, I am not satisfied that the elements (of the statute) are made out." | District Judge Andrew Sweet said: "Having viewed the video footage and listened carefully to your argument, I am not satisfied that the elements (of the statute) are made out." |
| Outside court Mr Wyness said the verdict was "a wonderful demonstration of the common sense of the British judiciary". | |
| He said: "The British Government did not have the same common sense when they let the Chinese regime hold their propaganda festival in our country." | |
| Mr Wyness added: "I clearly did not cause alarm or distress on that day, it was just a protest symbolic of what the British people are feeling about what is happening in Tibet." | |
| A month before the incident, Mr Wyness was among protesters who hung pro-Tibet slogans around the necks of China's Terracotta Warriors at the British Museum in central London. |