HSBC DIRTY? YOU CAN BANK ON IT
Santas on a dirty mission to highlight HSBC financing fossil fuels as bank makes it on the naughty list.
Twenty five Santas took time out on Monday(17th) morning from gift wrapping and descended on the doorstep of HSBC at Moorgate London with a tonne of coal to draw attention to the bank's mountainous financing of fossil fuels and to demand for it to cease its filthy business. The demonstrators were from the World Development Movement. Dressed up as Santa Claus they sung festive ditties including timeless classics such as 'Frosty the Banker' and 'Deck the Halls with Dirty Money'.
SchNEWS spoke to Miriam Ross from the WDM. “It started at 11.30am. HSBC shut their doors to the public and refused to receive what we'd brought them. We had to move on after half hour, so we headed to other HSBC branches.” This is one in a series of protests demanding the end of dirty investments.
Between 2010 and 2012 HSBC endorsed more fossil fuel bonds and shares than any other UK bank, helpping companies raise £75 billion. UK and American banks are in front of the competition compared to the rest of the world when it comes to coal lending. Included on the list of companies the bank finances are mining behemoths Anglo American, Glencore-Xstrata and BHP Billiton. HSBC has invested more than £3 billion into these companies who are behind the Cerrejón coal mine in Colombia. Cerrejón is Latin America’s largest coal mine, it has ruined people's livelihoods and destroyed entire villages. HSBC also finances oil and gas extraction worldwide.
Nick Dearden, director of the World Development Movement, said in a statement: “HSBC has been a very naughty bank this year, pouring billions into dirty fossil fuels, and ignoring the fact that if we want to avoid runaway climate change, we have to keep fossil fuels in the ground. So we thought a tonne of coal would be the best Christmas present we could give the bank. Maybe it will be better behaved next year and start phasing out its financing of fossil fuels.”
Update: So the landowner came, saw the numbers of protecters, the lock-ons, the bike-powered smoothie makers and the music, and returned home after refusing to talk to either the protesters or the press. But it isn't over – bailiffs could return at any time. Email GH your phone number if you want to be part of the phone tree or join the mailing list on the website: http://www.transitionheathrow.com… info@transitionheathrow.com
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