Man videos himself spray painting Minister Tanya Plibersek’s office, activist group takes credit

Activist group Rising Tide has claimed responsibility for spray painting ‘liar’ in red graffiti across the window of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s Sydney office.

Activist group Rising Tide has claimed responsibility for vandalising the office of Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek on Friday morning.

Images and video posted to the protest group’s social media shows a man spray painting ‘liar’ in red graffiti on the windows of Ms Plibersek’s inner city office.

A caption with the post reads “this morning, Zack Schofield has used red spray paint to emblazon the word ‘LIAR’ on the door of (Ms Plibersek’s) office in Redfern in response to her approval of four new coal expansions’.

Images posted on activist group Rising Tides’ social media show Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s office being vandalised. Picture: Supplied

The post says Mr Schofield was planning on handing himself in at Redfern Police Station “to take responsibility for his actions, in a way that our government never will”.

Rising Tide later posted a video of the man spray painting the office.

The video was endorsed by Greens members, including the party’s candidate for Kooyong Jackie Carter, who commented, “Zack, you’re an icon”.

Ms Plibersek later issued a statement confirming her office was vandalised, with a staff member inside at the time.

“All morning, my hardworking staff have been giving statements to the police instead of helping local residents with things such as Medicare, Centrelink, and disability matters, like they usually do,” she said.

Images posted on activist group Rising Tides’ social media show Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s office being vandalised. Picture: Supplied

“Residents who share our building should not be confronted with this sort of intimidating behaviour either.”

Ms Plibersek said vandalism and intimidation was “completely unacceptable”.

“Australia is a great democracy. It’s terrific that we are free to disagree with governments, and with each other. But the way we disagree matters. It should be peaceful, respectful and lawful,” she said.

“This kind of vandalism and intimidation is completely unacceptable. We all have a duty to call it out, wherever it happens.”

Rising Tide earlier this year co-ordinated a blockade at Newcastle coal port which resulted in more than 100 arrests.