A climate change protest has been slammed as 'disgraceful' by a Tameside councillor for 'vandalising' a building named in memory of a soldier killed in action in Afghanistan.
Around 20 environmental campaigners staged a protest outside the headquarters of the Greater Manchester Pension Fund (GMPF) at Guardsman Tony Downes House, on Friday, July 19.
They were calling on the pension fund - which is the largest local government fund in the UK - to divest from fossil fuel companies, and invest more in renewable energy.
Three campaigners chained themselves to the front entrance, and the slogan 'stop funding climate genocide' was spray-painted on the side of the building.
The building was dedicated to soldier Neil ‘Tony’ Downes, from Droyslden, in a ceremony in 2015.
He was killed in a landmine blast in Afghanistan in 2007, aged just 20, a little over a week before he was due to return home.
Cabinet member for housing, planning and employment, Ged Cooney slammed the protest at a meeting of Tameside's full council on Tuesday night.
He told councillors the demonstration made employees at the building feel 'threatened' and made the family of Guardsman Downes 'very upset'.
"I don’t dispute the points that are being raised by the protesters," Councillor Cooney said.
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“We can’t ignore the effect of what we’re doing on this climate and how it affects this climate.
“Yet what you had here that day was the vandalism of the building.
“This is a public building. And it’s also a building which is a memorial for a young man who was killed while defending his country, Tony Downes.
"The actions that took place, the threat to the young workers in here - the threat that they felt was totally out of order."
Coun Cooney, who represents Droylsden West and is vice-chair of the pension fund, added: “It was a disgraceful act.
“The shame, actually, of attacking a memorial to a soldier who died representing his country, that’s not acceptable at all."
He added that the cost of the repairs were being met by 'every single council tax payer in Tameside'.
Coun Cooney also criticised newly elected Green councillor for Ashton Waterloo, Lee Huntbach, for attending the demonstration.
Fossil Free Greater Manchester said they were one of 12 groups at the 'peaceful' demonstration, and Coun Huntbach was not involved in direct action.
The GMPF pledged in 2017 to become 100pc carbon neutral by 2050.
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