Extinction Rebellion and Just Stop Oil target Barclays in Aberdeen

This morning, supporters of Extinction Rebellion protested outside Barclays bank on Union Street which was covered in posters as part of the “Better without Barclays” campaign. [1]

The boycott is in protest of of Barclays’ investment in environmentally destructive activities such as fossil fuels and deforestation. [3]

“Though Barclays is only one link in a global funding stream, they are the largest fossil fuel funder in Europe. We want them to step down from this role and as they don’t seem to be doing it voluntarily, we are seeking to cause disruption to their branches and offices to pressure them to do the right thing. Climate activists are doing this because we are motivated by love. We love this planet, this is our home, but right now its ecological systems are breaking down and we want to change that.”

Lee Matthews (they/them), 22, a student in politics and international relations at the University of Aberdeen said:

“Today I threw paint over the silver fin building containing the Barclays office because if my generation are to have a future we must use non-violent direct action to stop the destructive activities we’ve seen from companies like Barclays. Communities around the world, particularly in the global south, are already paying the price for what the fossil fuel industry among others is doing. Continuing to invest in fossil fuels is abhorrent and we must do everything in our power to stop them from doing so.”

Notes to editors

Both organisations are demanding that the government immediately halt all future licensing and consents for the exploration, development and production of fossil fuels in the UK.

[3] According to Banking on Climate Chaos: Fossil Fuel Finance Report 2022, Barclays is the 7th biggest funder of fossil fuels worldwide and Europe’s biggest: it has given US$ 166.741 billion to companies active across the fossil fuel life cycle in the period from 2016-2021, after the Paris Agreement was signed that demands urgent and drastic reductions in greenhouse gas emissions that arise from burning fossil fuels.