A 16-year-old activist who has been convicted and conditionally discharged for calling circus agent Silvio Zammit a clown during a protest, has been acquitted on appeal, with a court saying that calling someone a clown should be allowed in a democratic country.

The activist from Moviment Graffiti had been charged with insulting Mr Zammit after calling him “Silvio Pulicinell” on placards during a protest in 2010 near the granaries in Floriana.

The teenager was eventually found guilty and conditionally discharged for six months.

But on appeal, Mr Justice Lawrence Quintano acquitted her after taking into consideration that comments which were far worse than calling someone a clown were accepted by the court.

Calling someone a clown should be allowed in a democratic country according to freedom of expression, he said.