Climate activists in 'theatrical' protest outside Oswestry Barclays

The Oswestry branch of Extinction Rebellion performed a "theatrical" protest outside the town's Barclays branch, including people dressed as jesters, "climate crime scene investigators" and one man dressed up as a bank manager.

The event began with the protestors cordoning off the entrance to the bank using "climate crime scene" tape and a banner reading "No Future in Fossil Fuels". The Barclays branch was closed at the time of the protest so no-one was prevented from entering or leaving.

The activists could be seen engaging in a mock interview with the bank manager, which they broadcast over a PA system. They ended the demonstration by pouring "oil" over a model of the Earth.

This performance took place as part of a national day of action for the Money Rebellion campaign, which also saw Extinction Rebellion activists cover the Bank of England with fake oil.

Barclays has pledged to be carbon neutral by 2050 and to do their part to limit global warming to 1.5C as per the 2015 Paris Agreement.

Despite these goals, campaigners have criticised Barclays for increasing their fossil fuel investments between 2019 and 2020.

As a result, Barclays has been targeted by UK-wide direct action campaigns. It has also faced challenges from its shareholders to reduce its fossil fuel investments.

Local Extinction Rebellion activists have been targeting Barclays Oswestry since 2019.

A local XR spokesperson said: "Barclays banks sit proudly in our high streets, claiming to be a valuable part of our communities and our lives. In reality, it is a bank of death. Barclays doesn’t go out of its way to tell you that it funds weapons manufacturing, deforestation and fossil fuels.

"We have only a matter of years before climate and ecological collapse become unavoidable. Barclays’ investments are locking in a fossil economy for decades, dooming young people and those in the Global South to an unimaginable future of suffering."