China PM shoe trial date changed

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The trial of a man accused of harassing the Chinese Prime Minister has been rescheduled to avoid a clash with the anniversary of a student massacre.

Cambridge University researcher Martin Jahnke, 27, admits throwing a shoe at Wen Jiabao during his tour of Britain.

However, he has denied causing intentional harm or distress.

Magistrates in Cambridge have moved his trial forward to 1 June to avoid it ending on 4 June - the 20th anniversary of the Tiananmen Square uprising.

'Sensitive date'

Mr Jahnke, a German national who lives at Darwin College, Cambridge, is to face trial for a public order offence.

He is accused of behaving in a way which was likely to have "harassed, alarmed or distressed" the Chinese premier in Cambridge on 2 February.

His trial had been due to be held on 2, 3 and 4 June at Cambridge Magistrates' Court.

However prosecutor Punam Malhan told the court that staging the trial on the anniversary created "concerns" and "security issues".

The court's legal advisor also told magistrates that 4 June would be a "sensitive date".

On 4 June 1989 several hundred civilians protesting in Tiananmen Square, in Beijing, were shot dead by the Chinese army.

The demonstrators, mainly students, had been calling for democratic reform.