A Democratic Arizona state representative apologized on Wednesday after she was caught hiding Bibles in the state Capitol.

“The intent was never to be destructive, to never desecrate or to offend,” state Rep. Stephanie Stahl Hamilton (D-Tucson) said from the Arizona House floor.

Security camera footage from the lawmakers’ lounge shows Stahl Hamilton hiding Bibles that would later be found in various locations, including under couch cushions and in the refrigerator.

Stahl Hamilton, an ordained minister in the Presbyterian Church, said her actions came in response to concerns about the separation of church and state.

“I acknowledge that a conversation about the separation of church and state should have began with a conversation. And for that, I apologize,” she said. “I hold Scripture very dear to my heart. It is what guides me. It is what shapes and informs the decisions I make.”

“I have the utmost respect for people of all faiths and for those who choose not to have a faith. And because of that respect, I recognize my actions could have been seen something as less than playful — and offensive,” she added.

The Arizona state representative later told reporters that she first noticed a Bible in the lawmakers’ lounge several weeks ago, according to The Arizona Republic.

“And so, I just took it and put it in the couch cushions,” she said. “At the time it just felt like a simple little prank.”

As the Bibles continued to reappear, Stahl Hamilton said she continued to hide them.

“To my brain, it just felt like it’s a game … a peaceful, playful protest,” she said. “I have long been frustrated by the blurred lines between separation of church and state.”