Extinction Rebellion protest at Barclays Bank Inverness as part of a UK wide action during UN Climate Change Summit COP27
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ACTIVISTS hailing from as far as Gairloch and Forres stood in front if an Inverness bank branch earlier today laying manure in front of its doors to protest extensive funding to fossil fuel.
Around 10 members of Extinction Rebellion (XR) Highlands & Islands and Moray gathered in front of Barclay's branch on Union Street as part of a UK-wide wave of protests.
The action aimed to protest the bank's investment in fossil fuel and to highlight to the general public and Barclays customers the damage the bank are doing to the climate and environment.
Simon MacLardie, from XR Highlands & Islands and Moray said: "We just want to make sure the public and Barclays are aware of what the bank is doing and that their extensive funding of the oil and gas industry is irresponsible.
"We'd like their customers to be aware and take action, which is as simple as switching their bank accounts such as Nationwide or The Co-Op Bank.
"We are asking Barclays to be responsible and to invest in activities that won't destroy our planet."
According to a report published in March this year, Barclays is Europe's largest and the world’s 7th biggest funder of fossil fuels.
Activists from XR say that the bank is funding the proposed North Sea Rosebank oilfield, providing stakeholders Equinor with $2.46 billion of backing.
The group delivered wheel barrows of manure to the bank at 11am, taking a placard stating “Barc-lies Stinks” to address what the group says is greenwashing and misleading communication.
They claim the bank has been contributing £143 billion to the fossil fuel industry since the Paris Agreement in 2016. A large cheque for this amount was handed over from a XR’s member dressed as a Barclays manager to another activist dressed as an oil industry worker.
This comes as world leaders as the UN Climate Change Summit COP27 is currently underway in Egypt.
XR Highlands & Islands and Moray member Gary Jack said: “The fossil fuel companies and the banks funding them have known for decades that the burning of fossil fuels is causing climate chaos but have disregarded us, the general public and the planet, for the greed of money.Once Ecocide is established by the international courts as a criminal offence, companies like Barclays will ultimately be held to account for their crimes against humanity.”
Another activist, John Lardner from said: “COP27 will be a failure just like the 26 COP summits before it and companies like Barclays will go on funding more fossil fuel projects, beef and soy developments which are causing the deforestation of the Amazon and Cerrado. Companies like Barclays who are causing this destruction, must be stopped and we can play our part by highlighting these crimes to the public and ask them to stop banking with them and use ethical banks instead.”
Barclays have been contacted for comment.
