COMPANY “COMPLICIT IN THE WORLD’S WARS AND GENOCIDES”, SAY ACTIVISTS ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Groups including Shut the System, Carnage Total and Scientist Rebellion say their activists last night smashed windows and spray-painted offices of Allianz, a major global insurance company, over its complicity in Israeli arms. The groups said offices were defaced in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Spain, Taiwan, and Birmingham. Provided photos from Paris The actions follow the 1 November renewal of Allianz’s contract with Israeli arms company Elbit Systems. The group noted the actions coinciding with the anniversary of the Balfour Declaration in 1917. “Palestine is a crux point for our shared struggle for justice against imperialist forces”, said a UK spokesperson in a press release. “They massacre communities so that greed-driven multinationals can ravage the land for oil, gas and minerals, devastating the support systems for all life on Earth”. Elbit Systems supplies up to 85% of Israel’s military drones and land-based equipment, while its British exports to Israel mostly concern drone and aircraft components, military electronics, and target and acquisition systems The post Elbit insurer Allianz targeted in 8 countries appeared first on Freedom News.

GROUP CLAIMS COORDINATED GRAFFITI, SUPERGLUE AND CABLE-CUTTING ACTIONS ~ Cristina Sykes ~ Shut The System (STS) says its activists have targeted branches of Barclays bank and the homes of senior management ahead of the bank’s Annual General Meeting on Wednesday. In a press release the group said they superglued door locks and ATMs and sprayed graffiti on the exteriors of bank branches in locations including London, Bath, Lincoln and Devon, and cut WiFi cables at the bank’s Northampton headquarters. The activists also spray-painted messages calling for divestment from fossil fuels on the properties of three senior Barclays executives—CEO Vimlesh Maru, global head of sustainable finance Daniel Hanna, and president of Barclays Bank PLC Stephen Dainton. Barclays is one of Europe’s biggest investors in fossil fuels, having poured $235.19 billion into the sector since the 2015 Paris climate agreement. The bank made some climate pledges and restrictions on new oil and gas financing in 2024, but its policies still allow investment in fossil fuel companies. Shut The System is demanding that Barclays and other banks immediately prohibit all finance and insurance for fossil fuel expansion, adopt emissions reduction targets aligned with 1.5°C scenarios, and scale up financing for a just transition. “For years Barclays have resisted the calls of peaceful campaigners to divest”, said the group in a press release. “By targeting Barclays offices, the luxury flats and mansions of their senior staff and organisations supporting the bank, we are creating the pressure to reign in these corporate murderers”. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Photos by STS The post Shut the System target Barclays over fossil investments appeared first on Freedom News.