Said Aitabbou, 58, from Charlton, was seen tearing up flowers, smashing plant pots, and throwing poppy wreaths at the memorial tree dedicated to Fusilier Rigby. The tree is located just metres from where the 25-year-old was murdered by extremists in May 2013.
Police were called to the scene on Sunday, July 28, and Aitabbou was arrested around 1pm. He later pleaded guilty to criminal damage. On Thursday, September 12, he appeared at Bexley Magistrates’ Court, where Deputy District Judge Balmain sentenced him to four months in prison. The judge highlighted that the sentence was necessary because Aitabbou had been drunk, not taking his medication, and had damaged a memorial.
Local resident Connor Tuxford, 31, witnessed Aitabbou being escorted into a police van and later took it upon himself to clean up the site. Tuxford, who works as a warehouse operative, said: “I was just walking back from work and saw this guy ripping up all the flowers and smashing some jars. I went and cleaned up the memorial afterwards because no one else did.”
Lee Rigby, a Fusilier, was brutally murdered outside the Woolwich Barracks in an unprovoked attack by extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale. The pair ran Rigby down in a car before attacking him with knives and a meat cleaver. Adebolajo was given a whole-life term, while Adebowale was sentenced to a minimum of 45 years in prison.
The vandalism of the memorial has drawn local outrage, given the significance of the site to those commemorating Rigby’s service and sacrifice.
