Drunk Man Smashes Lee Rigby Memorial in Shocking Attack
Said Aitabbou, 58, from Charlton, went on a destructive rampage at the memorial tree dedicated to Fusilier Lee Rigby. Witnesses saw him tearing up flowers, smashing plant pots, and throwing poppy wreaths to the ground. The memorial stands just metres from the spot where Rigby was brutally murdered by extremists in May 2013.
Police Called, Man Jailed for Memorial Mayhem
Police were called to the scene on Sunday, July 28. Aitabbou was arrested around 1pm after causing the damage. 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 explained the stiff sentence was necessary because Aitabbou had been drunk, off his medication, and damaged a site cherished by the community.
Local Hero Cleans Up After Attack
Local resident Connor Tuxford, 31, witnessed the aftermath. “I was just walking back from work and saw this guy ripping up all the flowers and smashing some jars,” Connor said. “I went and cleaned up the memorial afterwards because no one else did.”
Remembering Fusilier Lee Rigby
Lee Rigby was savagely murdered outside Woolwich Barracks by extremists Michael Adebolajo and Michael Adebowale. The killers ran him down in a car before launching a brutal knife and meat cleaver attack. Adebolajo received a whole-life prison term while Adebowale was sentenced to a minimum of 45 years behind bars.
The vandalism sparked widespread outrage locally. The memorial is a powerful symbol of respect for Rigby’s service and sacrifice — an attack on it is an attack on the memory of a fallen British soldier.
