Disruption: Two women were arrested when protesters breached a cordon at Gogarburn. Pic: © Climate Camp
Climate change protesters have been causing disruption across Edinburgh as they begin a ‘day of action’ against the Royal Bank of Scotland.
Around 800 environmental activists had gathered at the bank’s Edinburgh HQ by Sunday night, ahead of protests over the bank’s alleged support for fossil fuel companies.
However, on Monday morning, a number of protesters left the Gogarburn site on foot, saying only that they were heading to the city centre.
A short time later, it emerged that seven activists had superglued themselves to the entrance gate of the RBS executive carpark on the Gyle Industrial Estate.
However, while the protest’s organisers have claimed they were focussing their action on the bank, by 9.30am, activists had already targeted a number of other firms.
Another seven activists claimed to have made it onto the roof of Forth Energy in Leith, carrying a banner hitting out at the firm’s plans to create a new biomass plant in the city.
And at around 9.30am, a group of female protesters carrying a giant cardboard piggy bank posted photographs online showing them vandalising the exterior of the Cairn Energy building on Lothian Road.
A police cordon has now been set up outside RBS’s historic head office on St Andrews Square amid fears it would be targeted by protesters.
A large scale security cordon also remains in place around the RBS HQ at Gogarburn, where hundreds of protesters remain, and a spokesperson said the force was prepared for all eventualities.
Lothian and Borders Police confirmed they had called in extra support from Tayside, Central and Strathclyde police forces.
It follows a number of arrests since protesters arrived at Gogarburn on Thursday.
On Sunday, two woman dressed in biohazard suits were arrested after breaching the police cordon. Police said they caused significant damage to the RBS building, with several windows smashed.
On Friday, a woman was arrested after supergluing herself to the building’s reception desk.
On Monday, the private nursery on the Gogarburn campus remained closed while RBS confirmed some staff would be working from home, describing the decision to allow staff to stay away from the office as a "sensible security measure".
A spokesman said: "We have provided some alternative locations for staff where appropriate.
"We are constantly reviewing the situation and doing everything possible to protect the safety of our employees, customers and the general public."
Protesters began setting up camp in a field behind the headquarters on Thursday, erecting an office, medical tent and compost toilets.
The group, calling themselves Climate Camp, said they expected around 1000 activists to gather in time for a large-scale ‘day of action’ on Monday.
And while they insist they want to make their point peacefully, the group have also admitted that they may take illegal actions.
An information pack handed out to those joining the camp claims: “In a two year period between 2006 and 2008, it is estimated that RBS helped provide loans worth almost $16bn to coal related companies, significantly more that any other UK bank.”
The campaigners also claim that RBS, which is 84% government owned, has handed out a quarter of the cash given in a government bailout to coal oil and gas companies.
Speaking on Sunday night, activist Shaun Caulfield said: "RBS is one of the biggest climate criminals in the UK.
"People are angry that bankers are ploughing the billions that they got in the bail-out into incredibly destructive fossil fuel projects around the world."
RBS said it provided support for businesses working across many industries, reflecting the make-up of society and the economy.
The spokesman said: "Just as society as a whole has to make a transition to renewable energy sources, so will banks like RBS.
"In fact in recent years RBS has been one of the most active banks in the world in providing funding for renewable energy projects.
"Therefore, while we understand the protesters' intent and publicity tactics, we clearly cannot agree with their decision to target RBS."
