Manchester Extinction Rebellion activists glued to Barclays Bank Published duration 2 September 2019 Related Topics Climate change

image caption The campaigners say Barclays is a large investor in fossil fuels

Climate change protesters glued themselves to the pavement outside the Barclays Bank headquarters in Manchester.

The group of eight campaigners broke away from a four-day blockade of Deansgate in Manchester city centre organised by Extinction Rebellion.

The protesters, who have since been removed by police, said Barclays invested in fossil fuels.

The original climate camp protest began on Friday.

A Barclays statement said: "We recognise that climate change is one of the greatest challenges facing the world today and are determined to do all we can to support the transition to a low-carbon economy, while also ensuring that global energy needs continue to be met."

image caption The demonstrators blocked the entrance to Barclays' HQ

image caption Protesters who had been camped elsewhere in Manchester staged a "die-in" near Barclays

An Extinction Rebellion Manchester spokesperson said: "Barclays has funded the fossil fuel industry, from fracking and coal here in Britain to the Dakota Access pipeline in North America.

"Mines and oilfields are financed with the help of Barclays, who are increasing their financing for fossil fuel.

"Today we're calling on them to stop doing that and recognise that we are facing catastrophic ecological breakdown which these practices are contributing to.

"We have just a handful of years before the damage we have done to the planet becomes irreversible."

image caption Protesters staged "die-in"protests by lying on the pavement or roads

image caption The protesters say they have been speaking to police and civic authorities

Earlier, demonstrators joined fracking protesters outside Manchester's Civil Justice Centre where a legal challenge to an injunction restricting certain protests outside Cuadrilla's fracking site in Lancashire was taking place.

Both sets of activists cheered and sang songs outside the court.

Protesters from the climate change camp in Deansgate joined the Barclays demo to stage another "die-in" protest there.

Meanwhile, more climate change protesters blocked Great Ancoats Street and held a third "die-in" demonstration at the former Central Retail Park site near Urban Exchange.

Protesters also lay down outside fashion outlet Primark on Market Street, hindering shoppers getting into the store for 11 minutes, highlighting the 11 years the group believes we have to save the planet.

The activists said they wanted to draw attention to the "wastefulness of the fashion industry".

The protesters then moved on to HSBC in St Ann's Square.

image copyright Getty Images image caption Climate change protests began on Friday

image caption Extinction Rebellion moved plants into Deansgate

image caption A closing ceremony for the protests took place at a yellow boat on Deansgate

Extinction Rebellion Manchester said it had been working with authorities and meeting police every few hours to keep them informed about its activities. Both the council and Greater Manchester Police warned activists not to break the law.

Councillor Nigel Murphy, deputy leader of Manchester City Council, said: "Protesters have made their point. It's a point about the urgency of tackling climate change which many Mancunians completely understand.

"But any actions which cause disruption to the lives of large numbers of ordinary citizens risk being counterproductive to the protesters' cause and we would encourage them to act appropriately."

A closing ceremony for the protests took place around a yellow boat on Deansgate which had been the protesters' base while they have demonstrated at banks and shops across the city.

Demonstrators sang songs and held up banners to bring to an end four days of action.