A radical feminist who claims she was attacked by a transgender activist during a protest denies she was filming her in order to "out" her as transgender online.
Maria Maclachlan claims 26-year-old Tara Wolf punched and pushed her during a clash at Speakers' Corner in Hyde Park last September, during which her handheld camera was snatched.
Ms Machlachlan (60), who opposes transgender women being granted the same rights as those born female, was filming a group who were chanting "When TERFs attack, we strike back".
Ms Maclachlan and her associates had arranged to meet at Speakers' Corner ahead of a meeting on changes to the Gender Recognition Act that would allow people to identify their gender on identity documents without the input of a doctor.
TERFs stands for trans-exclusionary radical feminists, and is considered a derogatory term by some feminists.
The complainant said she had started filming the group when they had started chanting and had shouted at them: "Who's attacking who?"
She claims she was struck to the arm and neck before she was knocked to the ground where she was kicked and punched by a group of protesters.
Ms Maclachlan, who suffered bruising following the incident, told Hendon Magistrates' Court that the row began when one of the protesters tried to grab her camera.
She claimed she had pulled out the camera and started filming because she thought she would get some "amusing footage".
But Jodie Anderson, defending, argued she was deliberately trying to antagonise the protesters and intended to post the footage on her blog, Facebook page and Twitter in a bid to out them as trans.
Ms Wolf, who faces one charge of assault by beating, admits being involved in the fracas but insists she was acting in self-defence.
Ms Maclachlan, who is active on social media, said: "I thought it would make some very amusing footage - it didn't really occur to me that someone standing several feet away with a camera would be antagonising when they themselves had voluntarily gone along to this event."
Ms Anderson said: "As an active tweeter no doubt you are aware that quite often people who identify as trans are targeted and attacked by virtue of their identification."
Ms Maclachlan said she was not even aware the group were trans, saying she thought they were all male.
"They were not easily perceived as trans. I don't mind going though them face-by-face if you want to argue the toss," she said.
Ms Anderson said: "I'm going to suggest that when making that footage of the protesters, but particularly of Tara Wolf, your intention was to post it online."
Ms Maclachlan replied: "When I started filming I didn't have any particular intention of what I might do with the footage. I might have shown it to my husband, I might have posted it on my Facebook page, or I might have uploaded it on my blog."
She denied Ms Anderson's suggestion that by filming them she was trying to make the protesters feel "scared, uncomfortable or unsafe".
Ms Maclachlan admitted grabbing the protester she believed had snatched her camera, but denied shaking her or lifting her off the floor.
The complainant admitted kicking one of the activists but insists she kicked her first and said she did it "to stop him kicking me again".
She claims Wolf struck her with a closed fist and that she was hit in the face.
Ms Maclachlan said that by the time she managed to get her camera back it was damaged beyond repair and someone had stolen the memory card.
She admitted following the event she had sent out an abusive tweet featuring a close-up of the defendant's face with the words: "Hiya, got any hair restorer while I'm in hiding? Love Tara."
Ms Machlachlan had to be repeatedly told to refer to the defendant as female by Judge Kenneth Grant.
The trial, which is due to last for one day, continues.
