'Human torch' threat on Eye

The group 'waved lighters around' inside the pods

A group of 50 protesters invaded the London Eye and threatened to set themselves on fire, a court has been told.

Hundreds of tourists were trapped on the wheel on the River Thames, during the incident in December 2000.

Emergency services were involved in a stand-off that lasted three hours, London's Middlesex Guildhall Crown Court heard.

It appeared to the people on the ground that these demonstrators were serious and they were not going to come out

James Dennison, prosecuting

The Eye was surrounded by anti-terrorist officers and trained police negotiators wearing fireproof suits on 20 December last year.

As some of those taking part doused themselves in what appeared to be petrol, others waved cigarette lighters in the air, the court was told.

Members of the public caught up in the demonstration were later allowed to leave, as those responsible explained they were protesting against conditions in Turkish jails.

On Thursday,James Dennison, prosecuting, told the court: "To ignite a fire in a place such as that, would cause destruction, damage and injury and was therefore taken very seriously by the police.

"Thankfully intensive negotiations finally resulted in the demonstrators peacefully leaving the two pods they had occupied."

After being allowed to pose for newspaper photographers and television cameramen, whom they had demanded should be called to the scene, all 50 were arrested.

'Ordinary tourists'

Mr Dennison told the court the protesters turned up with their tickets, like any other tourists, at about 1430 GMT.

Half got into pod four, with the others waiting until they had got to the top before occupying number 20.

Minutes later, said Mr Dennison, those who had climbed in first unfurled a banner.

Wheel operator Robert Burt was sitting in the Eye's control room when the intercom suddenly crackled into life.

Mr Dennison said: "A person said people had taken over the two capsules and were prepared to set themselves alight if there was any attempt to get them out by force.

"One of the women got on to the bench in the centre of the pod so she was visible," continued Mr Dennison.

"She had with her a container, a Sprite bottle. She unscrewed it and poured the contents over her head."

He said lighters were then produced, as a further group arrived at the base of the wheel and started chanting.

Petrol smell

The first police to arrive immediately noticed the smell of petrol, the court heard.

"That, combined with the lighters being waved around, made it appear to the people on the ground that these demonstrators were serious and they were not going to come out," Mr Dennison said.

Tolga Kavkav, thought to be the leader, allegedly told police, during negotiations later, they were "protesting about the situation in Turkey, and particularly the situation in jails".

Mr Kavkav, 30, Kenan Cakmak, 31, Ahmet Durukanoglu, 37, Evrim Talay, 26, Muharren Kan, 20, and Aydemir Karasslan, 31, all deny one count of threatening to destroy or damage property.

They all live in either Tottenham or Stoke Newington, north London.

The trial continues.