Activists convicted of causing £62,000 of damage to Barclays building

Two climate change protesters have been convicted of causing £62,000 of damage to a Barclays Bank building.

Michael-Lee Hall, 37, and Stephen McNally, 45, smashed 13 windows of the offices in Glasgow city centre on November 14, 2022.

The Extinction Rebellion activists went on to unveil two banners calling for the end of funding fossil fuel.

Hall and McNally were found guilty at Glasgow Sheriff Court of conducting themselves in a disorderly manner.

The pair were also convicted of maliciously striking the windows which caused damage to them as well as having a chisel without a reasonable excuse or lawful authority.

The court heard from Barclays security staff who said that they received intelligence that a protest was to take place.

Around 8am, Hall, of Kinning Park, and McNally, of Anniesland, appeared on CCTV which was watched by site manager Alan Simpson.

He said: “They had hammers and chisels.

“One of them was struggling to smash the windows while the other smashed with one hit and it was away.”

Mr Simpson told prosecutor Heather Naismith that the pair revealed a banner which they then took pictures with.

The police then arrived and arrested them. The bank was then shut for the rest of the day.

Hall, representing himself, asked Mr Simpson if the people working there were in the building at the time.

Mr Simpson replied: “No.”

Security guard Fraser McIntyre, 30, stated that he was “shocked” and “quite daunted” by the incident.

The banners read: “Stop funding Rosebank” and “This is an intervention.”

Rosebank is an oil field 100 miles of the coast of the Shetland Islands.

The total damage caused by the pair was £62,057.

Sentence was deferred pending background reports until next month by Sheriff Owen Mullan.

He said: “All sentencing options remain open to me on the next occasion.

“There has been damage in excess of £60,000 and I hope to be addressed from both of you about proposals you have for that.”

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