Extinction Rebellion Sheffield: Protesters “clean out climate criminals” Barclays

Sheffield’s Extinction Rebellion (XR) have been demonstrating at Barclays Bank as part of UK-wide action during UN Climate Change Summit COP27.

A crowd gathered from midday as around ten demonstrators in fancy dress peacefully scrubbed the floors and walls of the bank while dancing along to music.

Jenni Crisp, Member of XR Sheffield, said: “This is part of an ongoing money rebellion campaign against Barclays because they’re climate criminals.”

Jenni Crisp scrubbing the Barclays walls

According to a report published in March this year, Barclays is Europe’s largest and the world’s seventh biggest funder of fossil fuels.

Ms Crisp said: “This has been ongoing for a long time, and despite our digital and physical protests they are not changing their practice.”

The demonstrations also included children’s shoes being laid out on the floor which Ms Crisp says “represents the lives of children that are endangered by our continued investment in fossil fuels.”

XR Sheffield laid out children’s shoes in protest

Police arrived 30 minutes after the demonstrators entered the bank and said: “Our main aim is to keep both protestors and workers safe.” Barclays staff refused to comment.

It’s part of a national day of ‘Better Without Barclays’ action against the bank, with protests staged by the environmental movement in cities such as Leeds, Manchester and Glasgow.

Ian Pearson, another member of the movement said: “This is also a response to COP27, so we need to raise awareness and get people more motivated about saving our planet. 

COP27 has now entered its second week, where world leaders are meeting in Egypt to tackle climate change.

It follows a year of climate-related disasters and broken temperature records, with the United Nations reporting that the world is on a ‘fast track’ to disaster, and scientists warning it is ‘now or never’ to limit warming to 1.5 degrees.

The protestors entered Barclays and began sweeping

A huge XR protest is planned for April 2023 in London, with the message from members clear – “If you care, get out on the streets, because we’re running out of time.”