MEMBERS from Carlisle's Palestine advocacy group gathered in Glasgow in an attempt to disrupt Barclays' AGM. 

Advocates from Carlisle & District Palestine Solidarity Group joined the national Palestine Solidarity Campaign outside of SEC Armadillo on Thursday, (May 9). 

The public protest, calling for a boycott of the bank, was part of a national effort to raise awareness of the bank’s alleged 'financial ties' with arms companies supplying Israel. 

The group showcased their activities from inside and outside the event on Instagram. 

In a speech from inside the AGM, protesters claimed: "Barclays invests over two billion pounds and provides six billion pounds in financial services to companies supplying Israel with the weapons it is using to carry out its devastating attacks on Palestine. 

"This includes investment in General Dynamics, which produces the gun systems arming Israel's fighter jets being used to bomb homes, hospitals, schools and refugee camps across the Gaza Strip. 

"Barclays has a history of supporting apartheid: it was the largest high street bank in apartheid South Africa," a spokesperson claimed before the group was ushered out of the meeting. 

They have called for Barclays customers to close their accounts to pressure the bank into divestment, vowing to continue their protest until Barclays ceases to support what they term as "Israel's regime of apartheid and genocide against Palestinians."

Addressing the protest on their website, Barclays said: "Barclays has been the subject of criticism in relation to Gaza based on two arguments: that Barclays is an investor in these businesses, and that we provide a range of financial services to clients which produce equipment used by the Israeli Defence Force.

"As a bank, our job is to provide financial services to thousands of business clients and that includes those in the defence sector.

"Clients in this sector include US, UK or European companies which supply defence products to NATO and other allies including Ukraine.

"Protests against Barclays have caused the closure of or disruption to some branches, including violent attacks on our buildings, causing distress to and intimidating customers and colleagues in our branches who have no involvement in these decisions.

"While we support the right to protest, we ask that campaigners do so in a way which respects our customers, colleagues and property." 

Carlisle & District Palestine Solidarity Group will continue to host weekly vigils outside House of Fraser on Carlisle's English Street at 1pm on Saturdays.