THE TRIAL of three men charged under terrorism legislation for carrying Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) flags at a demonstration began yesterday.

Ismael Akdogan, 43, Rotinda Demir, 21, and Rahman Pwr, 23, are all accused of carrying or displaying an article supporting a proscribed organisation between BBC Broadcasting House and Downing Street during a protest on January 27 against the Turkish bombing of Afrin in northern Syria.

The PKK was banned in March 2001 under section 13 of the Terrorism Act, which makes it an offence for someone to wear, carry or display an article so to arouse “reasonable suspicion that he is a member or supporter of a proscribed organisation.”

Prosecutor Dan Pawson-Pounds told Westminster magistrates’ court that “each of the three defendants were observed by officers looking out for conduct relating to proscribed flags.”

He said Mr Akdogan had been seen carrying such a flag at “the very start of the demonstration,” Mr Demir in “the middle and latter parts of the demonstration” and Mr Pwr “throughout large parts of the demonstration.”

He added that “each of the defendants accepts carrying a flag” but denies the criminal offence.

Detective Sergeant Matthew Hearing, from Scotland Yard’s public order branch, testified that, when he arrived at the start of the march, he “immediately” noticed some flags said to be related to the PKK, but that they represented a “very small proportion” of all the flags on display.

Mr Akdogan, of Peterborough, Mr Demir, of Hackney, east London, and Mr Pwr, of Birmingham, all deny carrying an article supporting a proscribed organisation.

The trial continues.