Barclays plays down Israel military links as protesters target branches

BRISTOL — Barclays Bank said Monday that it does not invest directly in defense companies that supply NATO and its allies, after 20 of its branches in the UK were vandalized by pro-Palestinian protesters over the lender’s alleged ties with Israel military firms.

Earlier on Monday, the 20 branches of the bank across England and Scotland were found with windows smashed and red paint daubed over the buildings as part of a protest calling on the bank to divest from arms companies that sell to Israel as well as from fossil fuel businesses. 

Barclays helped raise $41 billion in ESG-linked finance for fossil fuel firms in 2023, according to an analysis by the Bureau of Investigative Journalism published in May.

The UK-based campaign group Palestine Action and climate change group Shut the System claimed responsibility for the damage. Palestine Action said among the Barclays branches targeted were five in London, as well as banks in Birmingham, Bristol, Brighton, Exeter, Sheffield, Northampton, Solihull and Preston, Bury, Stockport and Glasgow, as well as an office in Edinburgh.