EXTINCTION Rebellion members from Teignbridge took part in a day of action in Exeter over the past weekend.

Mike Puleston, from Newton Abbot, a spokesperson for Extinction Rebellion, said: ‘Today there was an excellent turnout of activists at Bedford Square Exeter from local XR groups including the Teignbridge area to yet again call out Barclays, the dirty bank of Europe.

‘Barclays remains the number one bank in Europe and number seven globally for brokering fossil fuel companies involved in every form of fossil fuel extraction at a time when the UN only a few days ago again warned that humanity is on the brink with greenhouse gases in the atmosphere still increasing.

‘UN Secretary general Antonio Guterres stated recently “that fossil fuel firms have humanity by the throat” we have to convince the financial institutions and governments globally that humanity needs to plan for transition to renewables now,’ added Mike.

‘In this country we have a government whose leader can’t even be bothered to attend COP 27 in Egypt next month.

‘The event today has staged a very powerful and potent theatre performance to symbolise what Barclays are doing right now and challenge their blatant greenwashing.’

Peppy from Teignmouth who participated in the ‘public outreach’ said: ‘Barclays are de roading what was agreed at the Paris agreement. Barclays are not thinking of humanity, wildlife, nature, or the Ocean which are all suffering because of the climate crisis, with emissions still increasing due to banks like Barclays.’

Mike adds: ‘At the event there was an Extinction Rebellion ‘pink table’ where the public were invited to sign postcards requesting Barclays disinvest from fossil fuels and then hand them into staff at the bank.

‘They apparently ran out of cards.

‘The action today follows on from similar and highly successful Barclays actions in Newton Abbot and Plymouth.’