Spelling really is criminal! Vandal slams Barclays as a ‘climat criminal’ in illiterate protest 

Eco-protestors have slammed Barclays as a ‘climatcriminal’ in wrongly spelled graffiti on a London branch.

A storefront in St John’s Wood was branded with pink spray paint as climate justice activists took to attacking the bank franchise once again.

But campaigners may have needed a spell checker this time with the phrase ‘climatcriminal’ in capital letters across several of the store’s windows.

This is not the first time that the bank has been vandalised by environmental activists, with Extinction Rebellion campaigners previously causing £100,000 of damage to a Barclays in London.

Eco-protestors have slammed Barclays as a ‘climatcriminal’ in wrongly spelled graffiti across a London branch

Another branch in Tottenham Court Road was also marked with the phrase ‘climate criminals’ today.

Footage shows a number of eco-protestors standing outside Barclays holding signs with messages such as ‘Barclays are the real criminals’.

At the front of the branch, a poster also read ‘in case of climate emergency break glass’. 

On previous occasions, damage has included the smashing windows at the Canary Wharf head quarters as well as smearing 45 London branches in black paint on a separate incident.  

November saw what was called ‘the biggest ever day’ of climate protests by activists as hundreds of people took action at more than 100 Barclays branches.

Campaigners have previously cited their opposition to capitalism and its role in fuelling climate change as a reason for acting out against the bank.

Extinction Rebellion members specifically have accused the bank before of ‘continued investments in activities that are directly contributing to the climate and ecological emergency’. 

The campaign wants to trigger a wider revolt against current political, economic and social structures to avert the worst scenarios of devastation outlined by climate scientists.

In response to the vandalism of the St John’s Wood branch, a Barclays spokesman said: ‘We are determined to play our part in addressing the urgent and complex challenge of climate change. 

‘In March 2020 we were one of the first banks to set an ambition to become net zero by 2050, across all of our direct and indirect emissions, and we committed to align all of our financing activities with the goals and timelines of the Paris Agreement. 

A Tottenham Court Road branch was also marked with the phrase ‘climate criminals’ today

Footage shows eco-protestors standing outside Barclays in Tottenham Court Road holding signs with messages such as ‘Barclays are the real criminals’

On the outside of the building a poster also read ‘in case of climate emergency break glass’

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‘In practice, this means we have set 2030 targets to reduce our financed emissions in four of the highest emitting sectors in our financing portfolio, with additional 2025 targets for the two highest-emitting sectors – energy and power. 

‘We have a target to facilitate $1trn of Sustainable and Transition financing by 2030 and we are investing £500m of our own capital into climate-tech start-ups – both of which will support new green technologies and infrastructure projects that will build up low-carbon capacity and capability.’

MailOnline has approached the Metropolitan Police for comment regarding the St John’s Wood incident. 

Protestors snapped outside Barclays on Tottenham Court Road in today’s demonstration

Today Extinction Rebellion activists protested at The Hague in the Netherlands 

Climate activists held flares as they blocked a motorway during the demonstrations

The damage today comes as Extinction Rebellion protests have ramped up in the Netherlands, with crowds holding flares and placards at The Hague. 

It also follows Barclays announcement that 15 branches across the country are to be closed- with over 100 banks slated to shut down so far this year.

The bank is set to close 14 branches in England and one in Wales from late April to the first few days on May. 

Sites in London, Gosport, Bridgwater and St Helens are among those shutting down over just a few days.