A major Lloyds Banking Group meeting in Glasgow has been disrupted by pro-Palestine and climate activists.
Disruptors from Tipping Point UK demanded that the bank stop investing in oil and gas companies.
The activists also called on Lloyds to divest from companies linked to Israel amid its war with Hamas in Gaza.
Activists in the Armadillo building on Glasgow’s Clyde were removed by security after they demanded that Lloyds rule out investments in companies “operating on occupied Palestinian territory.”
Lloyds AGM disrupted by climate and pro-Palestinian protesters
Tipping Point
Protestors were filmed standing up in the audience in the dark auditorium lambasting the shareholders and senior Lloyds representatives on stage.
As activists disrupted the meeting, chair of Lloyds Banking Group Sir Robin Budenberg said: “There is plenty of time for questions later … if you want to make a speech, now is not the right time.”
Speaking over one protestor, he added: “As with your other colleagues, I’m going to have to ask the stewards to remove you.”
Sir Robin attempted to continue addressing shareholders but was disrupted by another protestor.
A protester started yelling at the panel during Lloyds AGM
Tipping Point
“I’m tempted to carry on, but I think you wouldn’t be able to hear, so I’m not going to carry on,” he said.
Another protestor shouted: “Let’s stop this madness, let’s stop investing in more fossil fuels, in warfare.”
Sir Robin said that the activist was “threatening the safety of other people in this room” after they resisted removal by stewards at the Glasgow venue.
A woman, believed to belong to the activist group, shouted about Lloyds “funding genocide in Gaza” and a “climate catastrophe”.
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Climate and pro-Palestinian protesters got up and yelled at the stage
Tipping Point
Another woman shouted out: “Stop funding Shell! Stop funding Shell!”
One protestor stood up in the audience and addressed the stage, loudly asking: “Before we get this AGM started, I want to ask the board, why Lloyds is funding genocide in Palestine?”
She added: “Lloyds is ploughing money into the weapons companies that are arming the Israeli military.”
The stunt comes amid a recent alliance between pro-Palestine and environmentalist activists.
Protesters accused Lloyds of funding the Israeli army
Tipping Point
In March, a new Just Stop Oil spin-off group called Youth Demand joined forces with protest group Palestine Action to spray red paint across the Ministry of Defence main building in central London.
In a statement, Josie, a climate justice campaigner, said: “The climate crisis and Israeli occupation, apartheid and genocide are intrinsically linked issues.
“Both have their roots in settler colonialism and both rely on financial institutions like Lloyds to operate.
“On top of this, the Israeli occupation of Palestine has long relied on the contamination of water supplies and the destruction of nature.
“The movement for climate justice and for a free Palestine are united and Lloyds must listen.”