Paint-filled extinguisher used in attack on MP’s office
Fraser Barton |
A teenager used a fire extinguisher filled with paint to vandalise former federal opposition leader Peter Dutton’s office, a court has been told.
Aahana Nag, 18, arrived at Brisbane Magistrates Court surrounded by supporters on Tuesday to face a wilful damage charge over the April 29 incident.
Mr Dutton’s Arana Hills office in Brisbane’s north was targeted in the early hours during the Liberal leader’s unsuccessful federal election campaign.
It was sprayed with red paint and covered in posters criticising his stance on the war in Gaza and purported closeness to US President Donald Trump about 2.30am.
Nag arrived in a nearby street with three others before exiting a vehicle wearing a “COVID-style surgical mask”, the court was told.
She then sprayed Mr Dutton’s office with the fire extinguisher filled with red paint, the police prosecutor said.
Authorities were called and used police dogs to apprehend Nag, and surgical gloves, masks, a baseball cap and balaclava were found in her backpack.
Nag suffered scarring and bruising after being mauled by a police dog while being apprehended, the court was told.
Defence lawyer Terry Fisher said his client had a highly developed social and political awareness of the oppression and injustice of people in the community.
“In relation to the actions she took on this night it was due to Peter Dutton’s anti-social behaviour, particularly in relation to his comments on the genocide of Palestinian people … and his comments on the environment,” Mr Fisher told the court.
Supporters flanked Nag when she arrived at court, covering her face.
They surrounded her again when she spoke outside court after her sentencing.
“This was an act of resistance and Peter Dutton does not support us,” Nag said.
Nag, who pleaded guilty, was sentenced on Tuesday to 20 hours of community service, to be completed within six months.
No conviction was recorded.
During the federal election campaign Mr Dutton said the vandalism of his office was “outrageous” and that it went against the democratic process.
Mr Dutton later made history by becoming the first opposition leader to lose his seat, with Labor’s Ali France emerging victorious in the seat of Dickson.
Most of the vandalism has been cleared from Mr Dutton’s now-empty office.
But red paint remains on some of the walls and graffiti reading “Facists dont represent us’ written on the ground in front of his office is still legible.
AAP
