Nine women protesting about the funding of fossil fuel generation have been arrested after 19 plate glass windows were smashed at the London headquarters of the banking group HSBC.
Police were called to HSBC’s head office in Canary Wharf just after 7am and arrested the women on suspicion of criminal damage.
They were filmed using hammers and chisels to shatter the ground floor windows.
9 @XRebellionUK activist break over 19 windows at #HSBC to shed light that @HSBC has spent 80£billion on #fossilfuel in the last 5 years. #london #mayor candidate @Valerie4London was one if those 9 women. @Telegraph @DailyMailUK @guardian @LBC @SkyNewsBreak @BBCBreaking @itvnews pic.twitter.com/HzvRTb2w1t
— Boots On The Ground News! (@bearwitness2019) April 22, 2021
Extinction Rebellion said in a statement: "Despite HSBC's pledge to shrink its carbon footprint to net zero by 2050, their current climate plan still allows the bank to finance coal power, and provides no basis to turn away clients or cancel contracts based on links to the fossil fuel industry."
After the incident HSBC issued a statement in which it said: "We welcome meaningful dialogue on our climate strategy, however, we cannot condone vandalism or actions that put people and property at risk. We have an ambition to be net zero by 2030 and to bring our financed emissions to net zero by 2050."
The company added: "We have also committed to set out short and medium term transition targets, and to phase out the financing of coal-fired power and thermal coal mining by 2040 globally. We remain committed to supporting our customers in their transition to net zero."
