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Edinburgh eco-campaigners 'cause £600k of damage' to government building using paint

Document Cited in Related
Vincent
AuthorAlan McEwen Court Reporter
Published date27 June 2022
Publication titleEdinburghLive (Scotland)
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...

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