Pro-Palestine supporters protest outside Barclays bank in Ipswich
Demonstrators gathered outside Barclays Bank in Ipswich town centre today as part of a campaign to boycott the bank over its alleged ties to the conflict in Gaza.
Why it matters: The campaign, organised by The Palestine Solidarity Campaign, Campaign Against Arms Trade and War on Want, calls on people to challenge Barclays' alleged "billions of pounds worth of investment and loans to arms companies selling weapons and military technology to Israel" by:
- Writing to Barclays to demand the company divest from "apartheid-complicit companies"
- Boycotting the bank
The bigger picture: The demonstration comes following:
- A current ceasefire between Hamas and Israel
- UN estimates that around two-thirds of buildings in Gaza have been destroyed or damaged after 15 months of fighting.
- Former US President Donald Trump's suggestion that America could "take over" and "own" Gaza, resettling its population.
What they're saying: One protestor explained to this publication that they were at the demonstration to represent the Palestinian people in Gaza who were being killed with weapons that they allege are partly funded by Barclays' investment in arms companies selling to Israel. They asked residents who banked with Barclays to "consider using a more ethical bank – if you can find one."
The bottom line: As the Gaza conflict continues to spark international debate, Ipswich residents are challenging local institutions over their alleged role in the crisis.
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