Student Protest in Lancaster Barclays. Photo – Ian Meeks

Today 11am ­ Barclays branches in Lancaster and four other cities have been closed by protests highlighting the social and environmental impacts of the bank’s investments in fracking, coal and tar sands. Sit­ins and occupations of Barclays branches have taken place in Lancaster, Leeds, Sheffield, London and Oxford. The protests caused major disruption, forcing Barclays to turn away customers and close several branches. Police were called to several branches. Activists stayed for up to two hours at each of the branches. A group of students and local anti-fracking campaigners occupied the branch on Alexander Square in Lancaster University campus and held a teach­in to discuss the dangers of fracking. This protest comes a few days after the beginning of Cuadrilla’s appeal of a Lancashire Country Council decision to reject two of the company’s fracking applications.

Don’t Frack Lancs! Photo – Ian…