UK
Exeter activists strip naked in fossil fuel protest outside Barclays Bank'I have a 4-year-old grand-daughter and I will do everything I can to protect the world and her future'
NEWS
By Chloe Parkman
29 OCT 2022
'Bankers' pour oil on naked bodies today outside Exeter branch in Bedford Square (Image: Gill Westcott)
A group of environmental activists stripped down in Exeter today (October 29) in a fossil fuel protest. The theatrical protest took place at midday outside Barclays Bank in a bid to highlight the bank's role in investing in fossil fuel companies.
The naked protestors stood as 'bankers' covered them in oil in Bedford Square. A wreath was laid to honour those who have died from climate impacts such as heat, drought and flood, and species endangered or facing extinction.
Becky, a retired gardener, was among the performance team today. She said: "I’m 70. I don’t want to have to take my clothes off in the High Street in order to draw attention to the fact that Barclays Bank continues to invest in Fossil Fuels but I have a 4-year-old grand-daughter and I will do everything I can to protect the world and her future.”
'Bankers' pour oil on naked bodies today outside Exeter branch in Bedford Square (Image: Gill Westcott)A group of environmental activists stripped down in Exeter today (October 29) in a fossil fuel protest. The theatrical protest took place at midday outside Barclays Bank in a bid to highlight the bank's role in investing in fossil fuel companies.
The naked protestors stood as 'bankers' covered them in oil in Bedford Square. A wreath was laid to honour those who have died from climate impacts such as heat, drought and flood, and species endangered or facing extinction.
Becky, a retired gardener, was among the performance team today. She said: "I’m 70. I don’t want to have to take my clothes off in the High Street in order to draw attention to the fact that Barclays Bank continues to invest in Fossil Fuels but I have a 4-year-old grand-daughter and I will do everything I can to protect the world and her future.”
Drama Protest on Fossil Fuel Finance at Exeter Barclays (Image: Gill Westcott)
Mary Roddick, a grandmother from Exeter said: "We can't afford this anymore. We can't afford to tolerate criminal banks funding fossil fuel companies stripping us of our right to pass on a liveable earth to our children and to future generations’ .
"We are demonstrating both our vulnerability and our determination. We want this silent enactment to be a loud demand for liveable conditions for everyone."
A spokesperson for the protest pointed to a recent report that shows that since the 2016 Paris Agreement, the world’s 60 biggest banks poured over 4.6 trillion dollars over 6 years into the fossil fuel industry, driving climate chaos and causing deadly local community impacts
Jerry Nightingale, a Devon thatcher who was involved in the protest, said: "We are already in a climate and bio diversity disaster. We have careless government, that is unable to focus on climate change, and our banking institutions seem not to understand our predicament, so we are here to hold Barclays Bank to account for their continuing damaging practices."
"I'm taking this action because of the catastrophic effects of fossil fuels on food supplies, drought, extreme weather and health which are affecting us now and will be life-threatening for my grandchildren", said Adrian Sargood, retired scientist from St Davids, Exeter.
Mary Roddick, a grandmother from Exeter said: "We can't afford this anymore. We can't afford to tolerate criminal banks funding fossil fuel companies stripping us of our right to pass on a liveable earth to our children and to future generations’ .
"We are demonstrating both our vulnerability and our determination. We want this silent enactment to be a loud demand for liveable conditions for everyone."
A spokesperson for the protest pointed to a recent report that shows that since the 2016 Paris Agreement, the world’s 60 biggest banks poured over 4.6 trillion dollars over 6 years into the fossil fuel industry, driving climate chaos and causing deadly local community impacts
Jerry Nightingale, a Devon thatcher who was involved in the protest, said: "We are already in a climate and bio diversity disaster. We have careless government, that is unable to focus on climate change, and our banking institutions seem not to understand our predicament, so we are here to hold Barclays Bank to account for their continuing damaging practices."
"I'm taking this action because of the catastrophic effects of fossil fuels on food supplies, drought, extreme weather and health which are affecting us now and will be life-threatening for my grandchildren", said Adrian Sargood, retired scientist from St Davids, Exeter.
In front of the crowd, in silence but for the slow drumbeat, ‘Bankers’ poured oil on five naked protestors outside the bank in Bedford Square. (Image: Gill Westcott)
Another of the actors is Margaret from Newtown, aged 80. "I'm pushing myself to take this quite scary action because it feels a moral imperative to draw all attention possible to the terrible threats of ecological and climate breakdown" she said. Margaret is a volunteer mental health worker, gardener and cyclist.
Ethical Consumer rated the top mainstream banks for environmental, human rights, social and animal welfare as Triodos (scoring 15 out of 20), Nationwide (13) and the Co-op Bank (9), with Barclays at 2.5 and HSBC and Natwest both at 2, a spokesperson for the protest group claims.
"It is easy and convenient to switch your bank account through the ‘Switch Your Bank website’ said Godfrey Whitehouse, a retired energy manager from Topsham.
"We’re taking some risks to bring this to peoples’ attention and we hope many will switch their account away from Barclays to banks that don’t invest in fossil fuels like the Co-op or Nationwide."
Andy Wells, a grandfather from Exeter said: "Our financial system that favours wealth creation for the few over the health and welfare of the many."
The drama team is drawn from among activists in several organisations.
Another of the actors is Margaret from Newtown, aged 80. "I'm pushing myself to take this quite scary action because it feels a moral imperative to draw all attention possible to the terrible threats of ecological and climate breakdown" she said. Margaret is a volunteer mental health worker, gardener and cyclist.
Ethical Consumer rated the top mainstream banks for environmental, human rights, social and animal welfare as Triodos (scoring 15 out of 20), Nationwide (13) and the Co-op Bank (9), with Barclays at 2.5 and HSBC and Natwest both at 2, a spokesperson for the protest group claims.
"It is easy and convenient to switch your bank account through the ‘Switch Your Bank website’ said Godfrey Whitehouse, a retired energy manager from Topsham.
"We’re taking some risks to bring this to peoples’ attention and we hope many will switch their account away from Barclays to banks that don’t invest in fossil fuels like the Co-op or Nationwide."
Andy Wells, a grandfather from Exeter said: "Our financial system that favours wealth creation for the few over the health and welfare of the many."
The drama team is drawn from among activists in several organisations.
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