Climate demo continues after arrests over ‘ attack’ on bank
CL IMATE pr o t e s t e r s c o n t i n u e d t h e i r demonstrations outside Barclays in Glasgow after arrests were made and bank windows smashed yesterday.
Shortly after 8am, the windows were broken at the Clyde Place Quay Barclays’ branch as Extinction Rebellion activists demanded the bank cut ties with fossil fuel firms.
Police Scotland said that two men had been arrested and investigations were ongoing following the incident. Images released by the campaign group show activists standing in front of broken windowpanes holding signs that read “this is an intervention” and “stop funding Rosebank”.
The protesters claim that Barclays is funding the proposed Rosebank oil field and have provided Norwegian state- owned firm Equinor with £ 2 billion of backing since 2015. Later yesterday afternoon, climate activists from
Biofuelwatch, BankTrack, Tipping Point, and Just Stop Oil joined Extinction Rebellion members for a rally outside of the Barclays Glasgow campus.
A significant police presence could be seen surrounding the bank as protesters delivered speeches on the threat of the climate crisis and the impact of fossil fuels on the environment.
Meanwhile, workmen repaired the numerous broken glass windows on Kingston Street.
Val King, of Extinction Rebellion Scotland, said: “This morning at 8am, 13 pieces of glass were broken by two members of Extinction Rebellion. They are in police custody at the moment, and the reason that they broke the glass was because of the well- known term, in case of emergency break glass.
“This is an emergency and Barclay’s are fuelling the problem with the climate emergency.
“We are here because we want the shareholders and the board members of Barclay’s to listen to the fact that they are doing so much harm to the earth, and if they won’t listen then we hope that Barclays customers will listen and take their money out of Barclays.”
A Police Scotland spokesperson said: “Around 8.10am on Monday, November 14, police were made aware of damage to a property in Kingston Street, Glasgow. Officers attended and two men have been arrested. Inquiries are ongoing.”
A Barclays spokesperson said: “Barclays was one of the first banks to set an ambition to become net zero by 2050.
“We have also facilitated more than £ 80bn of green financing since 2018 and we are investing our own capital – £ 175 – into sustainabilityfocussed start- ups. While Extinction Rebellion are entitled to their views on these issues, we would ask that in expressing that view they stop short of criminal damage to our facilities which puts people’s safety at risk.”