Rhian Graham, 30, Milo Ponsford, 26, and Sage Willoughby, 22, were captured on nearby CCTV passing ropes guarding the statue that were subsequently used to pull it down. Jake Skuse, 33, was accused of orchestrating a plan to throw the statue into the harbour. All four of them have been cleared by a jury at Bristol Crown Court after nearly three hours of deliberations at the end of a two-week trial.

       The packed public gallery loudly cheered as the not guilty verdicts were returned.

       The bronze memorial to 17th-century slave merchant Colston was pulled down during a BLM protest in Bristol on June 7, 2020, before being rolled into the water.

       Several people were involved, but just four of them faced trial.

       The statue suffered around ￡3,750 worth of damage - including the removal of its staff and a coattail - while the damage caused to the railings of Pero's Bridge totalled ￡350.

       All four of the defendants admitted being involved in the incident but denied their actions were criminal.

       They instead claimed the Colston statue itself had been a hate crime against the people of Bristol.

       Tom Wainwright, representing 26-year-old Mr Ponsford, raised the question of costs being repaid to the defendants following their acquittal.

       But Judge Peter Blair QC questioned the appropriateness of this as a result of high-profile support the defendants had received.

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       During the trial, the prosecution had argued the case was a matter of straightforward criminal damage, adding who Colston had been was "irrelevant".

       But barristers representing all four defendants argued the 17th-century slave merchant and his legacy was key to coming to a conclusion on the case.

       Bristol Crown Court was also told Colston was part of the enslavement and transportation of over 80,000 people, of which almost 10,000 were children.

       Around 19,000 people died on ships travelling to the Caribbean and the Americas.

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       During the trial, the court also heard that as far back as the 1920s, there had been campaigns in Bristol to have the statue removed.

       TV historian and author Professor David Olusoga gave expert evidence for the four defendants.

       Former Bristol Lord Mayor Cleo Lake also supported them.