Extinction Rebellion protesters plan two days of demonstrations in Sheffield

Climate catastrophe activists whose protests in London resulted in numerous arrests are planning two days of demonstrations in Sheffield city centre this week.
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Extinction Rebellion Sheffield plans to stage a mock trial outside Barclays Bank on Pinstone Street today from midday, when it will put the company in the dock for its ‘environmental crimes’.

The group says: “Barclays are Europe’s biggest investor in fossil fuels and a significant target of the ongoing Rebellion in London, which is demanding an immediate end to all new fossil fuel investments. Join us to find out just how guilty Barclays really are!"

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On Friday, September 3, from 12.30pm, demonstrators will hold a ‘memorial event’ on Union Street in honour of all those whose lives have been lost due to the effects of the climate crisis.

Extinction Rebellion protesters in LondonExtinction Rebellion protesters in London
Extinction Rebellion protesters in London
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There will be singing, speeches and tributes laid during the event, and people have been invited to dress in black and join the procession to Barclays, bringing tributes such as artworks, poetry, painted stones, placards, flowers or photos.

Both events are part of the UK-wide Impossible Rebellion protests, during which four members of Extinction Rebellion Sheffield have been arrested.

In a statement today, a Barclays spokesperson said: “We are aligning our entire financing portfolio to support the goals of the Paris Agreement - significantly scaling up green financing, directly investing in new green technologies and helping clients in key sectors change their business models to reduce their climate change impact.

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“By 2025, we will reduce the emissions intensity of our power portfolio by 30 per cent, and reduce absolute emissions of our energy portfolio by 15 per cent. Increasing at pace, our capital markets business has already facilitated £46bn of green finance.

“We are one of the only banks globally investing our own capital – £175m – into innovative, green start-ups. By deploying finance in this way, we are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and will become a net zero bank by 2050.”

The company’s website states that it is ‘fully committed to championing environmental innovation and sustainability in support of the transition to a low-carbon economy’.

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