END FOSSIL FUELS! END THE GENOCIDE!
BARCLAYS: STOP BANKING ON INJUSTICE

11AM 16TH NOVEMBER, BIRMINGHAM

Saturday 16th November is the International Day of Action for Global Climate Justice that is running alongside COP 29. It is also the Palestine Solidarity Campaign Boycott Barclays Day of Action.

In Birmingham climate justice activists & Palestine solidarity campaigners are joining forces to target Barclays. We will have these actions:
- Protest outside Barclays Bank, High Street, Birmingham City Centre from 11am.
- Simultaneously, the Big Bike Ride (with Big Ride for Palestine and XR Birmingham) leaving from Pigeon Park, 11am arriving at the protest at noon.
- Plus, add your message to our ‘Tree of Hopes’ (see below).

UK banking giant Barclays remains the biggest financier of dirty energy in Europe, having significantly increased its financing of fossil fuels in 2023. Barclays also provides billions of pounds worth of investment and loans to arms companies selling weapons and military technology to Israel. Barclays is actively arming, supporting and profiting from Israel’s apartheid regime and its genocidal violence against the Palestinian people.

The climate crisis and genocide in Gaza are inextricably linked and we must put an end to both. Without human rights, there can be no climate justice. As world leaders prepare to attend the UN's climate negotiations at COP29 next week, record heat in our atmosphere and oceans is driving climate disasters across the globe. Those who’ve done least to cause this crisis are suffering most. Global North countries have far exceeded their fair share of the Earth's carrying capacity and are primarily responsible for the climate crisis.

Against this backdrop, Israel’s deadly assault has killed at least 42,000 Palestinians over the last year and displaced more than 90% of Gaza’s population. Every semblance of decency and humanity has been violated with absolute impunity, despite well-documented war crimes, crimes against humanity and what the ICJ has ruled as a plausible case of genocide.

On the global stage of COP29, the UK government will attempt to convince the world of its credentials as a climate leader. This will ring hollow as Prime Minister Starmer continues to funnel public money into militarism, war and fossil fuel projects.

Plus, Trump is back, and now more than ever, we need a global movement to fight for people and planet. We have to be the resistance to racism, climate chaos & genocide.

On the Global Day of Action during COP29, our movements will come together across Britain and worldwide to demand climate justice. If we’re to have any hope of a livable planet, we must divest from war and destruction – and invest in a just, ecological and equitable transition.

And we know that activists can make an impact. Following the targeting of the UK factories of Israel’s largest weapons company, Elbit Systems Ltd, by Pal Action and others, Barclays has sold all of its investment shareholdings in the company. This shows the power of our movements but we can’t let Barclays off the hook. Elbit was just one of nine companies supplying weapons and military technology to Israel that Barclays provides investments and loans to. And Barclays continues to mega-fund fossil fuel projects. Therefore, we need to mobilise next Saturday to raise awareness, link struggles and move forwards to the victories our side need for the planet, people and peace.

Join either the Big Bike Ride at 11am at Pigeon Park or the protest at Barclays on the High Street in town at 11am next Saturday, 16th November.

TREE OF HOPES
As part of the Day of Action for Global Climate Justice our friends at Friction Arts, Bee Friendly Brum and Woodcraft Folk are coming together to make a 15ft ‘Tree of Hopes’. The tree is made from willow and will be decorated with willow stars and messages of hope from the protest on Saturday.

On the day, we will be inviting children and families in Birmingham to write messages of solidarity and love to children in other parts of the world. These messages will be to children anywhere in the world where people are suffering the consequences of extreme weather, hunger, war or occupation. People will then be able to attach their message to the tree. We will also be inviting people to write messages of hope to the COP29 climate conference in Baku.

Friction Arts are working on finding a venue for the tree to be displayed in the lead up to Christmas where people will be able to continue to add their messages of hope, love and solidarity.

Please email us your messages for our Tree of Hopes at brumclimatejustice@gmail.com and we will start to add them.

Supported by:
BrumCJC
WMPSC
Birmingham TUC
Better Streets For Birmingham
Birmingham Friends of the Earth
XR Birmingham
Muslim Association of Britain
War On Want
British Arab Nursing & Midwifery Association
Campaign Against Climate Change
Palestinian Forum in Britain
Birmingham Race Impact Group
Big Ride For Palestine
Birmingham Fair Housing Campaign
Birmingham NEU
PCS Midlands
Youth Front For Palestine
Friction Arts
Bee Friendly Brum
Peace Hub
Queers for Palestine Birmingham
Walsall Kobar Friendship Association
Northfield Arts Forum
Footsteps - Faiths for a Low Carbon Future
Anticapitalist Resistance
Birmingham SWP

“Movements against climate arson are converging with movements against genocide and unfettered greed. The next wave of rebellion is coming.”
* Naomi Klein