News / Barclays
Anti-fracking protest on roof of Barclays in Broadmead
Police cut short a protest on the roof of Barclays bank in Broadmead on Thursday morning when they used a rotating blade to saw through a lock linking campaigners.
Two people occupied the top of the city centre branch from around 8am to draw public attention to “the bank’s destructive fracking practises” and used a long solid device to tie themselves together so they could not be forcibly moved.
After police and fire services launched an operation to remove the pair from the roof, they were arrested for aggravated trespassing. Another woman has been arrested for causing criminal damage and was led off in handcuffs with a can of spray chalk in hand.
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The branch remained closed for the whole morning as crowds gathered outside to watch the drama unfold.
The protest met with a mixed response from onlookers.
“Well done guys, we should all be up there with you,” shouted one passer-by, but another accused the protestors of wasting police time.
How things unfolded:
https://www.facebook.com/409871752690636/videos/460459030965241/
Speaking from the rooftop, one of the protestors, who did want to give her name, said: “We will stay as long as we can. As long as it takes to get people’s attention and let people know what Barclays are doing. This is about challenging Barclays.”
A police rope access supervisor speaks to protesters on the roof of Barclays
In a statement, they said: “We are occupying Barclays in solidarity with the water protectors and frontline communities resisting fracking in the UK.
“Just as Barclays occupy our land with polluting fossil-fuel industry, we will occupy them in order to tell them that their role in environmental destruction will not go unchallenged.”
A third campaigner is led away by police
Speaking at the scene before the protesters were brought down, police inspector Trevor Sweeting said: “We are given the right to peaceful protest. This is obstructing lawful activity so we are going to go up and engage with them to see if they will come down.”
The protest comes to an end:
A police statement has since confirmed there were three arrests in connection with the protest.
Bristol24/7 tried to contact Barclays for a statement.
Read more: Protesters disrupt new bridge opening
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