Activists Force RBS Branches to Close Over Weekend
August 22, 2010
- Climate protesters use superglue and stink bombs to close branches
- Lady Gaga song performed on hijacked Fringe stage
The Royal Bank of Scotland came under attack from protesters this weekend, who are demonstrating against its investment in dangerous fossil fuels.
Activists superglued shut RBS branch doors on Friday night, and graffitied RBS logos around the city. RBS branches were forced to close on Saturday as Climate Camp protestors targeted city centre branches.
One set of protesters performed 'Dirty Oil', a spoof version of the Lady Gaga song 'Pokerface' with the words changed to highlight RBS' investments in the Tar Sands. The St Andrew's Square branch was closed to prevent activists performing inside. The group later hijacked an RBS-sponsored stage at the Edinburgh Fringe.
The song included the lyrics:
"It's getting hot, the planet's nearly shot
We'll make 'em stop, we're putting up a block.
Can't deny, can't deny that tar sands is dirty oil
Tar Sands is dirty oil."
A different group set off stink bombs in RBS branches, forcing them to close for the day.
Ruth McTernan from the Climate Camp said:
"These investments are filling the atmosphere with the stench of carbon and hastening catastrophic climate change, so we gave RBS a sample of their own smelly emissions."