G20 bra girl charged for posing as a police officer

Eleven G20 campaigners are being prosecuted for impersonating police officers despite some being half-dressed and wielding toy machineguns.

The protesters, who call themselves the Space Hijackers, claim today it was obvious they were taking part in an April Fool's Day joke as world leaders met in London on 1 April.

They were arrested as they drove an armoured personnel carrier through the City while playing Wagner's Ride Of The Valkyries over a loudspeaker.

Leah Borromeo, 30, a freelance journalist who was wearing a riot helmet and boiler suit rolled down to the waist to reveal a black bra, said: "If I'm guilty of anything it's of impersonating a stripper, not a police officer. Our lawyers never thought anyone would be charged because it is so ridiculous. It is a farcical case."

Director of Public Prosecutions Keir Starmer decided they must face a four-day trial despite critics describing the charges as "a terrible abuse of power".

The offence carries a maximum sentence of three months and the case has reportedly already cost the taxpayer tens of thousands of pounds.

Experts have called for the case to be withdrawn. The Met was heavily criticised over its handling of the protests. Apart from the Space Hijackers case, the police and Crown Prosecution Service have proceeded with only a handful of charges of violent disorder and criminal damage.

A lead member of the Space Hijackers, who did not want to be named, said: "It was a parody and a spoof. This case is a complete overreaction. We think this case is a complete waste of taxpayers' money.

"We did everything entirely lawfully and there was nothing sinister about any of it. It is a very serious charge.

"The charge exists to stop people dressing up as police officers and robbing old women, it's not for people legitimately protesting."

Critical to the case will be evidence that none of the dozens of witnesses being brought by the defendants believed they were police officers.

Raj Chada, their lawyer, said the prosecution needed to prove the 11 intended to deceive others into believing they were police.

He said: "Far from pretending to be police officers they were protesting in a way that was both peaceful and designed to be entertaining. The protests were on April Fool's Day and this prosecution is like an April Fool's joke." A Met Police spokesman said: "We can not comment as a legal case is pending."