UK Police Charge Son of Pink Floyd Guitarist David Gilmour With Violent Disorder

Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour (AP) (AP2008)

The son of Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour has been charged over his role in last month's violent protest against increased university tuition fees.

Charlie Gilmour was charged Thursday with violent disorder and theft of a mannequin leg during the Dec. 9 demonstration.

The 21-year-old shocked many in Britain when he was photographed swinging from the national flag on the Cenotaph, Britain's most important war memorial.

The picture featured prominently in the country's tabloid press and ran over captions reading "vile" and "shame."

Gilmour apologized for what he called a "terrible insult" to Britain's war dead.

But the Cambridge University-educated history student drew ridicule when he claimed not to have known he was swinging on the Cenotaph.