Last week, thousands of people around the country took action against Barclays Bank and their support for the fracking industry.
Photo: Lise Masson
Together, we held 97 actions outside Barclays branches around the country, sent thousands of emails and letter asking them to end their support for fracking and spoke to thousands of customers.
Barclays bank owns 97% of Third Energy, the company that have just been given the green light to frack in Ryedale, North Yorkshire. But we know that we can’t burn the fossil fuels we already have – let alone look for new ones – if we want to protect ourselves and future generations from the worst effects of climate change.
Last week we stood in solidarity with communities in the UK and around the world who are facing the threat of fracking and impacts of climate change, and sent a clear message to Barclays bank that funding the fracking industry will not be tolerated.
Chris from Frack Free Ryedale said:
“Frack Free Ryedale would like to thank everyone who took part in the hugely successful week of action against Barclays Bank. We were overwhelmed by this national show of support and salute each and every one of you!”
Photo: Rob Townsend
Many of the actions were wonderfully creative – fracked family Nicky and Ruby moving their living room into Barclays branches, ‘frackalicious cocktails’ offered to passers by and visits from ‘Count Frackula’ that would spook any investor.
Here’s some of the highlights:
Malton
Frack Free Ryedale kicked off the week in Malton with a Halloween themed protest, included three witches scheming round a cauldron representing Kevin Hollinrake MP, the CEO of Barclays and the CEO of Third Energy.
Bristol
In Bristol there was an event every day, with their own mock fracking rig! They collected over 500 signatures against Barclays fracking and handed out nearly a thousand leaflets.
Photo: Frack Free Manchester
Manchester
In Manchester, a variety of groups, including Frack Free Greater Manchester, joined together with Mr Frackhead to visit multiple branches across the city!
Leeds
Frack Free Leeds held a vigil for clean water inside and outside the branch to bring attention to the impact that Barclays funding fracking could have on water in Yorkshire and to show resistance the proposal that Leeds water treatment works could accept post fracked water from across the country.
Nottingham
In Nottingham, a branch of Barclays closed after activists did actions inside and outside dressed as ‘frackers’.
Sheffield
Multiple groups from Sheffield including People and Planet and Fossil Free Sheffield came together to call on Barclay’s to stop financing fossil fuel extraction from fracking in North Yorkshire, to coal mines in Colombia, to tar sands in Canada, to the Dakota Access Pipeline in the US.
They staged a die in and used fabric to create redlines outside the bank. The event was also attended by Natalie Bennett. The group are now launching a campaign to ban Barclays from the University of Sheffield campus.
Cardiff
Friends of the Earth Cardiff set up a frackalicious cocktail bar outside the branch – serving fracked water to passers-by.
Hastings
Campaigners held a halloween themed protest featuring mad scientists and Frankenstein’s fracking monster.
London
Ryedale residents Nicky and Ruby moved their living room into Barclays’ flagship branch in London to say that if you frack our homes, we’ll frack yours. They were joined by over 100 people and the branch was forced to close for the day!
Check out more photos from the week here!
Photo: Mathew McDonnell
What next?
The battle is of course not over, and we do not intend to stop here. You can keep on messaging Barclays using the Sum Of Us Action Centre, and do make sure to share these stories of people power as we all continue to build the pressure.
You can fill in the survey and get added to an update list, or get involved in the Friends of the Earth fracking campaign.
If we want to stop climate change, we can’t be investing in more fossil fuel extraction. We need to make fracking as toxic to investors as it is to the planet.
With thanks to those at Frack Free Ryedale, People & Planet, SumOfUs and Friends of the Earth who’ve supported this moment, and everyone who’s taking action and leading the charge around the country.