Members of the climate action group Extinction Rebellion scaled an HMRC building to stage a rooftop protest over its relationship with Barclays Bank.
Protestors held a sign on the roof of the Longbenton building that read 'Break up with Barclays' and set off pink and red flares on Valentine's Day urging HMRC to end whet they claim as a "toxic relationship" with Barclays.
Police officers could also be seen at the scene of the protest.
It comes as XR protestors across the country launch a month-long campaign against Barclays which campaigners say is Europe's largest financier of fossil fuels.
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HMRC currently uses Barclays' payment solutions to process National Insurance and Self-Assessment tax payments, Child Benefit repayments, and a range of other HMRC transactions.
Protestors say this is an "unacceptable relationship" as Barclays invest their profits into financing the fossil fuel industry, with over £104 billion having been invested since the Paris Climate Agreement.
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They said this leaves taxpayers "no choice" but to be "complicit in environmental exploitation" without their consent or knowledge.
Anne Blair-Vincent, 64, from South Shields said: "I’m taking part in this action because I can’t stand by and do nothing when it’s clear that my grandchildren’s future is at huge risk from the climate emergency.
"I, like many people, did not realise that HMRC banks with Barclays and that Barclays invests massively in fossil fuels. This is taxpayer's money funding the very destruction of all we hold dear - this relationship must end."
Activists across the North East supported the protest by tweeting and emailing HMRC representatives, demanding that they stop banking with Barclays.
Leaflets were also given out to HMRC workers on their way to work this morning, asking them to email their managers and switch their banks.
Extinction Rebellion is calling on HMRC to divest from Barclays, as well as for a complete end of all new fossil fuel developments.
A Barclays spokesperson said: "We are aligning our entire financing portfolio to support the goals of the Paris Agreement - significantly scaling up green financing, directly investing in new green technologies and helping clients in key sectors change their business models to reduce their climate change impact.
"By 2025, we will reduce the emissions intensity of our power portfolio by 30%, and reduce absolute emissions of our energy portfolio by 15%. Increasing at pace, our capital markets business has already facilitated £46bn of green finance.
"We are one of the only banks globally investing our own capital – £175m – into innovative, green start-ups. By deploying finance in this way, we are accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and will become a net zero bank by 2050."
An HMRC spokesperson said: "There was a small demonstration at the main gates of our Benton Park View site in Newcastle this morning. Police have been in attendance and our services are unaffected by today’s activity."
A Northumbria Police spokesperson said: "Shortly before 7am today a small number of protesters gathered outside HMRC on Benton Park View.
"The protest passed without incident and concluded after about two hours."
