Pro-Palestine protesters target ‘up to 20’ Barclays bank branches – South London News

Pro-Palestinian protesters targeted Barclays bank branches across the country, smashing windows and covering the buildings with red paint.

Up to 20 buildings, including High Street branches, Croydon and Rye Lane, Peckham, were targeted, according to the group Palestine Action.

Other damage-adorned targets included banks in St John’s Wood, north London, and Richmond in south-west London.

Protesters also struck in Manchester, Preston, Lancashire, Glasgow, Brighton, Exeter, Sheffield, Northampton, Birmingham and Solihull. Palestine Said action.

The organization said the protests were carried out to “demand the withdrawal of the bank from Israel’s arms and fossil fuel trade”.

A Barclays spokesman said: “While we support the right to protest, we ask campaigners to do so in a way that respects our customers, colleagues and property.”

Shut the System, a recently launched underground climate movement, claims to have collaborated with the underground division of Palestine Action to launch the attacks. Palestine’s action also confirmed this.

Both groups said the targeted actions would continue until Barclays stopped investing in certain companies.

A Barclays spokesman said the bank “provides vital financial services to public companies in the US, UK and Europe that supply defense products to NATO and its allies”.

The spokesperson said: “The defense sector is fundamental to our national security and the UK Government has been clear that supporting defense companies is compatible with ESG considerations.

“Decisions regarding the implementation of arms embargoes to other nations are the responsibility of the respective elected governments.”

On Saturday, the Gaza Ministry of Health said at least 37,084 people had been killed in Israeli attacks since October 7.

The revised death toll in Israel from Hamas attacks since October 7 stands at around 1,200, with around 116 people still held captive.

The Met has been contacted for comment.

Pictured above: A Barclays branch in Richmond which was targeted by the protest (Image: Yann Tear)

Related stories