Thursday, March 28, 2024
1Climate protesters party at the Royal Bank HQ

Climate protesters party at the Royal Bank HQ

By Martin Graham

ECO protesters held a demonstration disco inside the revolving doors of the Royal Bank of Scotland’s headquarters in Edinburgh today.

Protesters party at RBS HQ at Gogarburn

The party saw around 100 activists dancing their way around the Gogarburn building accompanied by a sound system mounted on a bike.

They waved banners and invited RBS employees to join them for lunch at the makeshift camp which sprung up overnight in the landscaped grounds of the bank’s HQ.

Security guards could only watch on after being ordered to take a “light touch” approach to the ongoing rally.

The climate campers used a sound system to deliver an impromptu lecture to the employees within about the fossil fuel projects which the bank supports and funds.

Climate Camp leader Kate Rowntree said: “We used the megaphone to explain RBS actions to the staff inside.

“We have nothing against the workers; it’s the bosses who are investing heavily in harmful fossil fuel extraction.

“We invited the workers to come and join us at the camp for a lovely vegan lunch so they can see what we are about and find out why we are doing this.

“The security and police just looked on, they were very relaxed and laid back.”

Around 100 climate camp protesters took over the site at the rear of the RBS grounds at Gogarburn on Wednesday evening, setting up tents, kitchens and eco-toilets to cater for the large numbers expected.

Yesterday there were around 400 protesters on site, with organisers expecting hundreds more over the weekend.

The group is building up to a large scale day of action on Monday.

A spokesman for RBS said: “I can confirm that the protesters did a tour of the site today.

“They went up to the main entrance but they did not get inside the main building.

“We allowed them to protest peacefully and we are taking a light touch approach.”

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