Anti-war protester cleared of condom protest

An anti-war protester convicted of desecration after he put multi-coloured condoms on a statue of Jesus has been cleared on appeal.

Fedja Stukan was fined �170 last year for putting three condoms on the statue’s fingers with a note saying: “Make love not war”.

The actor’s stunt, at the Sarajevo monument in front of Sarajevo Cathedral, was a protest at the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Stukan’s lawyers appealed against the ruling and a county court in Sarajevo said he had not committed a crime in carrying out his protest.

Catholic Church officials had condemned the protest as “deeply offensive”.

Church spokesman Marko Josipovic said: “He offended Catholics. We simply cannot understand such a protest.”

But Stukan said: “It’s ridiculous. I’ve never ever heard of anyone being fined because of three condoms. I did not want to offend Catholics but only suggested that it was better to make love rather than war.”
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