The UK government claimed climate change protestors caused £600,000 of damage to one of its buildings by smearing its entrance with red paint.
The allegation was made in court as an activist admitted being part of a group which targeted Queen Elizabeth House in Edinburgh earlier this month.
Jennifer Kowalski pled guilty to a breach of the peace during the demo which saw “blood on their hands” written on the flagship government hub.
The 26-year-old said the damages bill was hugely inflated and designed as a “scare tactic” to deter protests against fossil fuels.
The former environmental scientist joined the direct action with fellow members of the Just Stop Oil group.
She was admonished at the city’s sheriff court on Friday after Sheriff Kenneth Campbell QC expressed surprise at the size of the damage claim.
Fiscal depute Gillian Koren said the Crown asked the government for an “up-to-date” assessment but hadn't received a response yet.
Ms Koren said Just Stop Oil, which calls for the government to halt new fossil fuel licensing and production, had staged a “peaceful protest” at Queen Elizabeth House on June 2.
The flagship hub, opened in 2019 near Waverley Station, can facilitate 3000 UK Government civil servants from a range of departments.
Ms Koren said protestors in hi-vis vests later returned to the site and “red paint was then poured over the entrance doors of the building”.
She said the activists smeared their hands in the paint, wrote messages, and held up banners.
The court heard the demonstrators, including the accused, then sat down at the entrance before being detained by police.
Ms Koren said the UK Government pegged the damage caused at £600,000.
Clearly taken aback, Sheriff Campbell asked the prosecutor if the figure given was correct.
Ms Koren said an update had been requested over the damage which saw the building’s glass screens and a wall painted on.
Representing herself, Kowalksi said she’d been “passionate” in her job as an environmental scientist but become disillusioned by a lack of action to tackle climate change.
She said: “Parts of the planet are becoming uninhabitable. The UK Government plans to push for 40 new fossil fuel projects.
“The government clearly doesn’t care about our future. They are signing our death warrants.
“I am here because oil kills and destroys everything I love. I am not a criminal. The government and CEOs of fossil fuel companies are criminals.”
Sheriff Campbell admonished Kowalski, of Glasgow, over the charge.
Speaking outside court, Kowalski said: “I spent more than 40 hours in police cells after being arrested.
“We will continue to protest and try to get people involved to grow the climate justice movement.
“The claim of £600,000 was such an obvious over-statement. They washed the paint off the glass and walls with a pressure washer.
“I absolutely believe the inflated amount given was a scare tactic designed to put protestors off by making them think the book will be thrown at them.
“To me, that’s a sign our message is winning.”
On Monday HRMC contacted the Daily Record to state that they’ve never claimed the costs were £600,000 and the accurate cost of the repair is £6.6k
An HMRC spokesperson said: “Following a protest earlier this month, HMRC has spent more than £6,600 on efforts to clean and repair damage caused to Queen Elizabeth House.
“Further work will be carried out to remove some residual paint from the sandstone brickwork.”
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