On Wednesday morning protesters from the This is Rigged group scaled the UK Government building on Sibbald Walk known as Queen Elizabeth House and daubed it with red paint.

Catriona Roberts, 21, sprayed the glass front of the building with a fire extinguisher full of red paint. Fred Spoliar, 31, Ruby Hamill, 19, and Daniel Knorr, 22, climbed the exterior of the building. Spoliar threw water balloons full of red paint towards the UK Government’s crest on the building’s facade, and Hamil threw the UK flag from the top of the building, replacing it with a Palestinian one.  

The protesters say that today’s action was targeted due to the fact that the UK Government continues to endorse the genocide in Gaza. They have pointed out that even though a majority of the UK public supports a ceasefire, also backed by The Scottish Government, the UK Government has continued to support Israel. The group also said that the UK Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has announced a new crackdown on pro-Palestinian protests with extreme policing measures to be put in place.

By 2pm police officers using climbing gear had ascended to the roof and abseiled down the front of the building to release the Free Palestine banner and the crowds dispersed.

This is Rigged protesters scaled the UK Government buildingon Sibbald Walk in Edinburgh and doused it with red paint.
This is Rigged protesters scaled the UK Government buildingon Sibbald Walk in Edinburgh and doused it with red paint.
This is Rigged protesters scaled the UK Government buildingon Sibbald Walk in Edinburgh and doused it with red paint.
This is Rigged protesters scaled the UK Government building on Sibbald Walk in Edinburgh and doused it with red paint sparking a huge police presence
Phyllis Stephen
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Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.