Pro-Palestine protestors attack branches of Barclays Bank

Pro-Palestine protestors have smashed and graffitied windows of branches of Barclays Bank.

Palestine Action said it attacked banks in Bristol and Manchester among other cities to demand it ‘divests from Israel’s weapons trade and fossil fuels’.

A spokesperson for Palestine Action said: “Barclays is funding the crises of climate collapse and genocide in Palestine.

“Decades of polite campaigning, petitions, letter writing and lobbying MPs have failed.

''We will continue to escalate until Barclays pulls its finger out and stops funding genocide and climate destruction.

Activists also sprayed the names of Palestinians killed in the Israeli military action in Gaza on the walls of the Barclays branch.

A spokesperson for Barclays said: “We provide vital financial services to US, UK and European public companies that supply defence products to Nato and its allies.

''Barclays does not directly invest in these companies.

"The defence sector is fundamental to our national security and the UK government has been clear that supporting defence companies is compatible with ESG considerations.

''Decisions on the implementation of arms embargos to other nations are the job of respective elected governments.

“While we support the right to protest, we ask that campaigners do so in a way which respects our customers, colleagues and property.''