Plane-damage protestors 'acting in defence of others'

The five anti-war protestors accused of criminally damaging a United States naval aeroplane will say they acted in defence of others, a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court jury has heard.

The implements used to damage the plane were engraved with Celtic symbols and slogans such as: "If they come for the innocent without stepping over your body, cursed be your religion and your life", "The war ends here" and "Put a stop to genocidal war".