THE Lloyds Banking Group’s annual general meeting (AGM) has been disrupted by pro-Palestinian and climate activists.
Several protesters stood up one by one to disrupt the meeting at the SEC Armadillo auditorium in Glasgow from the moment it started on Thursday morning.
In a statement, campaign group Tipping Point said they had disrupted the meeting to demand the bank divest from fossil fuel companies and firms “complicit in Israeli genocide and occupation”.
As the incident unfolded, chair of Lloyds Banking Group Robin Budenberg attempted to speak over the protesters, telling the AGM he was “really pleased” to be back in Glasgow.
Budenberg was forced to stop speaking as the disruption continued.
A female protester could be heard referring to Lloyds “funding genocide in Gaza” and “funding climate catastrophe”.
“Everywhere you look, you can see it happening,” the protester added, referring to “wildfires and floods” before being removed by security guards.
Other attendees shouted: “Oh, shut up” and appeared to want to get involved, with Budenberg asking them to leave the removal of the protesters to the stewards.
Addressing a male protester shortly after, he said: “Unless you’re prepared to sit down and wait for questions I’m really sorry, but I’m going to have to ask the stewards to remove you.”
Another male protester asked Budenberg if his “£6 million” salary does not pay for Specsavers glasses, as he cannot see the “atrocities” that are going on.
The demonstrator said: “Do you not see that Lloyds is funding the arms that are destroying people’s futures?
“You are robbing, you are denying people their futures.
“Don’t just focus on the shareholder profits, focus on what makes us human.
“For the love of our children, let’s stop this madness, let’s stop investing in more fossil fuels.”
When the protester appeared to resist attempts by stewards to remove him, Sir Robin said to the room: “It looks like this gentleman does not want to leave.
“You are threatening the safety of other people in this room,” he told the protester.
