Two members of Graffitti Movement were yesterday cleared of attempting to deface a US warship and causing damage to the same vessel.

John Axiak, 24, and Mark Camilleri, 20, were however given conditional discharges for damaging police officers’ uniforms.

The incident came about as the two men were protesting against the US presence in Iraq on 31 December 2004, when the USS O’ Bannon was berthed at Pinto Wharf, next to the floating bookshop MV Doulos.

The two men were cleared by magistrate Antonio Mizzi of damaging the warship, attempting to damage the warship, entering a restricted area and causing damage to property belonging the VISET.

It turned out that a number of people were trying to gain access to the USS O’Bannon when three police officers told them to stop in their tracks. They carried on, so the police physically restrained them. Both men were carrying pots of red paint and these ended up staining the uniforms of some of the officers. No paint hit the warship. The court gave both men a six month conditional discharge for damaging the uniforms.

Dr Owen Bonnici appeared for the accused, while senior police inspector Pierre Micallef Grimaud prosecuted.