Climate change protesters Extinction Rebellion stage public demonstrations across Worthing

Members of Extinction Rebellion staged a cleaning of the Barclays Bank in Chapel Road over the weekend as part of a nationwide protest against dirty fuel investment.

The group, dressed as cleaners, used feather dusters, brushes and other paraphernalia to 'clean' the outside of the branch for 20 minutes to demonstrate to the public it was time for Barclays to clean up their act.

Extinction Rebellion, which has risen to prominence over the last 18 months through a series of high profile demonstrations, claim that since the 2016 Paris Agreement was signed, 33 leading banks have lent $1.9trillion to the fossil fuel industry - a figure which continues to rise.

An Extinction Rebellion spokesman said: "Pouring money into the extraction of fossil fuels is destroying ecosystems, contributing to climate breakdown and harming indigenous communities, all of which undermine the future of life on earth.

"Barclays is the sixth largest provider of financial services to the fossil fuel industry in the world, and overall largest in Europe. Unlike most UK banks, Barclays are still willing to provide financial services for further Tar Sands exploitation and Arctic oil and gas exploration, the dirtiest of all the fossil fuels out there.

"These dirty investment policies directly threaten our future and our children's futures. By cleaning their branches for them, Extinction Rebellion hope to make it clear that Barclays must clean up their act before it’s too late."

Protesters also unfurled huge banners along Worthing Pier, reading 'Worthing-Under-Sea' and 'No-one is immune to climate change', promoting the message that, if left unchecked, climate change will bring rising sea levels that will devastate all areas of the planet, leaving nobody unaffected.

Extinction Rebellion protesters were set to join the national blockade of parliament in London today (September 1) to demonstrate to the Government the need to act fast to prevent irreversible climate change.